Operatives of the Nigeria Police in Abuja, on Thursday, prevented protest by members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) over unpaid salaries.
The planned demonstration, organized by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of both unions, aimed to address the federal government’s failure to pay their members’ salaries for the past four months.
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Gathered at Abuja’s Unity Fountain, SSANU and NASU leaders addressed a large crowd of members and journalists who were prepared to march to the Federal Ministry of Education and Ministry of Labour and Employment. However, heavily armed police prevented them from leaving the Unity Fountain area. The police used a truck to block the entrance gate of the Unity Fountain.
Efforts by the protesters to negotiate their exit were unsuccessful until leaders engaged with Department of State Security (DSS) personnel who eventually allowed a select group to proceed by vehicle to deliver protest letters to the ministries.
The standoff underscores growing tensions between government workers and authorities over unpaid wages, highlighting ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s labour relations.