ASUU strike: Police stop lecturers’ protests in Benue, Kano, Sokoto •NSCDC embarks on 7-day fasting, prayer to end ASUU strike

Security operatives comprising policemen and men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were, yesterday, engaged in confrontation with members of  Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Federal University of Agriculture (FUAM), Makurdi chapter when the lecturers  staged a peaceful protest in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, to further impress it on the government to fully implement the 2009 ASUU \ FG agreement.
It will be recalled that university students numbering about 1,000 also staged a peaceful demonstration round the major streets of Makurdi on Wednesday to persuade the government to heed the demands of the striking lecturers.
The striking lecturers, in their hundreds, had  converged on the Kenville Parks and Gardens, High Level area of Makurdi as early as 8a.m. from where they took off and were proceeding towards Government House chanting solidarity songs.
Hardly had they moved up to  500 metres when stern looking  armed policemen and men of the NSCDC blocked them with their vehicles, preventing the protesting lecturers from proceeding to the seat of government.
The lecturers resisted the order of the security men to retreat as they remained in the same spot chanting various songs with placards bearing different inscriptions.
But when it dawned on them after about an hour that the security men would not allow them to move to the seat of government, they were forced to go back.
Addressing the lecturers at the Kenville Parks and Gardens, FUAM ASUU chairman, Dr Celestine Aguoru, lamented President Goodluck Jonathan’s insincerity in the whole issue and urged the Federal Government to stop playing politics with the education of Nigerian students.
While noting that the N100 billion that the Federal Government said it had released was a mere word of mouth, Aguoru stated that the Federal Government had in actual sense not released anything to anybody as it was making Nigerians to believe.
“Government has not released a dime. The N100 billion they are talking about is just by word of mouth. Government is insincere,” he said.
Meanwhile, ASUU members, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria branch, on Thursday, embarked on a peaceful protest to enlighten the public on the ongoing university lecturers’ strike.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ASUU members trekked about two kilometres in Zaria as part of the protest.
Addressing journalists after the trek, the chairman of ABU branch of the union, Dr Mohammed Kabir-Aliyu, said the essence of the protest trek was to enlighten the public on the demands of the lecturers.
He said, “we are on strike because our universities are dying. We want our universities revitalised. We are not on strike because of allowances or salaries.
“Our intention is to revitalise our universities to compete with other universities in the world.’’
The chairman said, “lecturers are on strike to rekindle the hope of children from indigent background by making the system work as it should.”
In a related development, members of ASUU, Bayero University, Kano (BUK) chapter, were, on Thursday, prevented by the police from carrying out a peaceful protest organised to educate the public on why the union will not call off its strike until its demands were met.
Fierce looking anti-riot policemen armed with tear gas canisters were stationed at the main gate of BUK to prevent the aggrieved lecturers from staging the protest.
However, there was a rowdy situation  as argument ensued between the union members who were in their hundreds  and the police, over the right to protest.
In his reaction, the BUK ASUU chairman, Dr Mahmud Lawan, said neither the threat to the lives and safety of ASUU officials nor the attempt to destroy ASUU secretariat by sponsored thugs will prevent the struggle of the union.
He added that the union was resolute and committed in its support of the union’s national leadership to ensure the revival of the deplorable university system in the country.
Meanwhile, Sokoto State Police Command, on Thursday, foiled the public awareness rally planned by members  of ASUU of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto chapter.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the command disapproved the rally through a letter signed by Mr Douglas Agbonleni, Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of administration,
The letter, dated, October 30, said: “Due to the current situation in the country, your request is not approved.
“You are, therefore, advised not to carry out the rally to avoid any break down of law and order.”
Reacting to the letter, ASUU, in a statement signed by the chairman of the chapter, Dr Frank Tambuwal, condemned the action of the police.
“This is a clear violation of our constitutional right to educate the Nigerian public on why we are on strike since July, 2013.
“It should be noted that no amount of intimidation, suppression or harassment will deter us from fighting for our deprived rights,” the statement said.
NAN observed that armed mobile policemen and others in plain clothes were deployed to the two campuses of the Uuiversity in Sokoto.
Meanwhile, the police, on Wednesday, disrupted a peaceful rally by members of ASUU, Univerisyt of Abuja chapter, in Gwagwalada, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Dr Clement Chuks, ASUU chairman, UNIABUJA chapter, said the rally was organised to sensitise the public on the level of decay of infrastructure in Nigerian universities.
In another development, NSCDC, on Thursday, began seven days fasting and prayer for an end to the lingering ASUU strike.
This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja and signed by the Public Relations Officer of the corps, Mr Emmanuel Okeh.
The statement said that Dr Ade Abolurin, the Commandant General of the corps, directed the officers and personnel of the corps nationwide, to embark on the exercise.
It said the corps embarked on the exercise to seek God’s intervention following the deadlock in the talks between the Federal Government and the striking university teachers aimed at resolving the issue.
“Worried by the ongoing strike embarked upon by ASUU, which has resulted in the shutdown of universities since July this year, NSCDC Commandant General has organised a special prayer for the nation.
“The CG has declared seven days fasting and prayer nationwide to seek an ultimate solution to the problem,’’ it said.
The statement said the move was borne out of the desire by Nigerians to see an end to the strike.
It quoted Abolurin, as noting that the inability of stakeholders to come to an agreement in resolving the four months old strike was an indication that divine intervention was the only solution to the problem.
“While lauding the effort of the government and its unwavering commitment to end the impasse, Abolurin said the nation should not underestimate the power of prayers at critical moments.
“We should not be ignorant of the devices of the devil whose mission is to steal, kill and destroy; but through prayer and fasting, the glory of this nation shall be sustained and the much needed success achieved,’’ the statement said.
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