The Kano Zone of the Tutorial Employees Union of Universities has decried an alleged victimisation of its members in some universities within the zone.
The Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Abdulkadir Muhammad, in an announcement in Kaduna on Friday, described the event as a “gross violation” of college guidelines and rules.
Muhammad mentioned: “ASUU-Kano Zone is deeply disillusioned and saddened by the incessant victimisation, intimidation, harassment and dehumanisation of its members in some public universities.
“This was largely due to their insistence on due course of and adherence to the principles and rules governing the operation of the Nigerian college system.
“The victimisation is especially perpetrated silently by the college administrations and, at instances, open endorsement of the Chairmen of the Governing Councils and Guests of the affected universities.
“The obnoxious, unjust and callous victimisation and degradation of our members are extra pronounced in Kogi State College (KSU), Anyingba; Lagos State College (LASU), Ojoo; and Ebonyi State College (EBSU), Abakaliki.
“Others embrace Ambrose Alli College (AAU), Ekpoma; Federal College of Expertise Owerri (FUTO); and Chukwuemeka Odumegu Ojukwu College (COOU), Igbariam.”
Muhammad alleged that in KSU, 120 members of ASUU have been unjustly dismissed within the final seven years for demanding conducive working circumstances, higher welfare packages, fee of backlogged salaries and allowances, and sufficient funding for the college.
He added that the affected members sought authorized redress and sadly, the courtroom dominated in opposition to the victims and in favour of the college.
“ASUU-Kano Zone is especially disturbed by the travesty of justice on this judgement delivered in opposition to our harmless members.
“Nevertheless, the union will proceed to discover all authorized avenues to make sure reinstatement of the sacked members in KSU,” he mentioned.
He additionally alleged that the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the union in LASU had been illegally dismissed in September 2017, for insisting on strict observance of due course of in operating the affairs of the college.
He equally claimed that in September 2019, the Secretary and Assistant Secretary of the union had been additionally dismissed for requesting the reversal of the wrongful promotion of one of many lecturers to the rank of professor.
“So as to add insult to harm, the Treasurer of the Department was, on the identical date, additionally dismissed for demanding that her well-deserved promotion be correctly dated.
“In February 2022, two separate committees had been arrange, and their ultimate reviews absolved the 5 ASUU leaders of any wrongdoing.
“Consequently, the Governing Council directed their unconditional reinstatement with instant impact, however Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu arrange a visitation panel and all of the related stakeholders, together with ASUU, submitted memoranda.
“Disappointingly, the federal government refused to launch the White Paper of the Visitation Panel, and the affected members are but to be reinstated,” he claimed.
The zonal coordinator additional alleged that in EBSU, the instant previous Chairperson of the Department, Ndubuisi Idenyi, was suspended by the college administration for convening a gathering of ASUU’s Ethics, Grievances, Battle and Disaster Administration Committee.
He equally mentioned that the Department Chairperson, Mr Ikecheku Igwenyi, was additionally suspended for convening an internet assembly to convey the union Nationwide Govt Council’s resolutions to members of the Department.
“The Chairperson has additionally been denied his promotion to the professorial cadre since 2017 and worse nonetheless, the college administration has banned the union’s actions on the campus.
“This can be a clear violation of the elemental proper to freedom of affiliation as enshrined within the Nigerian Structure,” he mentioned.
In keeping with him, these violations of college guidelines and rules will not be peculiar to KSU, LASU and EBSU, however are additionally obtainable in lots of different universities.
He frowned on the dehumanisation, denial of promotion, non-payment of backlogged salaries and arrears, travesty of justice, and denial of freedom of meeting and affiliation for the union members.
He additionally expressed displeasure over the alleged elevated violation of different basic human rights of the union members and all types of victimisation in lots of public universities.
“We, subsequently, name on the respective college administrations, Governing Councils and the Guests of the affected universities to respect the college legal guidelines, in addition to the liberty of meeting and affiliation.
“We additionally need an finish to the victimisation of harmless intellectuals and their households and urged the respective authorities to recall all of the illegally suspended members and reinstate these unjustly dismissed,” Muhammad mentioned.
NAN.