Polytechnic Bida Deploys Soldiers To Exam Halls Amid Lecturers’ Strike Over Non-Payment Of Allowances

Some personnel of the Nigerian Army were reportedly deployed to examination halls at the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State, amid a showdown between the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and the institution’s management over alleged non-payment of allowances.

Crisis escalated when the academic union declared an indefinite strike on September 15 over 18 months of unpaid excess workload allowances, directing members to boycott the semester examinations, according to Daily Trust.

The institution’s Registrar, Hussaini Muhammad Enagi, had on September 13 circular, announced the suspension of ASUP’s activities on campus, citing security concerns, a development that angered the union leadership.

In response, ASUP’s leader, Comrade Kolo Joshua, accused the management of intimidation, including issuing queries to union executives, instead of addressing financial obligations.

“The allowances, running into 18 months under the current rector and 36 months under the previous administration, had caused hardship and dampened morale among lecturers,” Joshua said.

He advised union members to vacate the campus “for the safety of lives and property,” stressing that the lecturers’ grievances remained unresolved.

However, the polytechnic’s Information Officer, Mallam Abubakar Dzukogi, denied that soldiers were used to supervise the examination.

“This is a civil matter. I went round the examination centres and did not see soldiers. Management only ensured the examination held despite the union’s strike,” Dzukogi said.

A staff member, however, confirmed that soldiers were stationed at the examination halls to provide security for students and staff willing to participate in the exams, despite the union’s threat to disrupt the process.

“The polytechnic started examinations today, and while some staff volunteered to participate, the union had threatened to stop the process. That was why management brought in soldiers to protect students and staff,” the staff who didn’t want name in print said.

The dispute has deepened the standoff between ASUP and the institution’s management, raising concerns about possible disruptions to the academic calendar.(SaharaReporters)