the members of the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU), University of Abuja
branch, as they mobilise for their protest into
the streets of the Federal Capital City, Abuja.
Eyewitnesses said that the lecturers had
gathered at the mini-campus of the university
at Gwagwalada for the protest when suddenly
policemen and plain clothes security personnel
took over the entire arena and
prevented them from the embarking on the
protest.
Dr. Clement Chup, zonal Chairman of ASUU,
told the journalists that ASUU forwarded a
written request to the Commissioner of Police
at Gwagwalada to notify him of their
intentions, but all the protesters were shocked
when the policemen showed up and prevented
them from entering the campus.
Read the press statement of ASUU rep below:
"We, members of the Academic Staff Union of
Universities, ASUU of University of Abuja had
actually planned to carry out a peaceful
demonstration today (October 30, 2013,
Wednesday). What we planned was to have a
community marching just to march through
some major streets in Abuja, to sensitize the
public on the essence of our strike. You will
agree with me that the strike that has been on
for the past four months now is a cause for
worry for everybody. We wanted to tell
members of the public we are on strike
because the Federal Government have refused
to implement the agreement they had with our
members since 2009.
"But unfortunately when we got to the campus
this morning, we were prevented from
entering the campus by policemen. When they
prevented us from entering the campus we sat
down helplessly outside the gate, just chatting
and trying to put heads together, the
policemen came around and tear gassed us
several times to disperse us.
"We were wondering why security agents who
supposed to provide security for law abiding
citizens would turn around and begin to
oppress the same people they are supposed to
provide security for. It was really a cause for
worry, even as they threw over 13 canisters of
tear gas at us. Some of us were soaked in the
tear gas and one of us who has asthma
condition was rushed to the hospital .
"We insisted that it is our right, so at the end
of the day, we were able to carry out our
protest at a point in front of the university
gate. When they tried to stop us and they
didn't succeed, they now allowed us to carry
out our protest at the gate where we displayed
our banners, sang our solidarity song and left".
http://www.gistplaza.com/2013/10/asuu-
strike-police-use-tear-gas-against.html
0 100000:
Post a Comment