ASUU Direct Members To Join Nationwide Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has instructed its members to join the nationwide strike declared by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

The ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, a professor of soil science, directed compliance in a letter to ASUU zonal coordinators and branch chairpersons across the country.

NLC had on Monday announced the commencement of the industrial action from midnight of Monday, 13th November.

The action of the unions followed the brutalization of the NLC National President, Joe Ajaero, on 1 November in Imo State.

“As an affiliate of NLC, all members of our union are hereby directed to join this action of NLC to protect the interest of Nigerian workers and the leadership of the union. Zonal coordinators and branch chairpersons should immediately mobilise our members to participate in the action” Mr Osodeke wrote in the letter.

Meanwhile, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, on Friday, restrained the labour unions from embarking on strike.

The judge, Benedict Kanyip, ordered the two major labour unions, the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), to stop their industrial action scheduled to begin on 14 November.

The interim order followed an ex-parte request by the Nigerian government through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, due to the Labour unions’ threat to embark on strike.

On Monday, the AGF office advised the unions against the strike, asking them to respect the subsisting court order.