The lingering crisis at the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State, took a dramatic turn on Tuesday as soldiers were deployed to secure examination halls amid threats by striking lecturers under the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP).
The union, led by Comrade Kolo Joshua, had declared an indefinite strike on September 15 over 18 months of unpaid excess workload allowances. Members were directed to boycott the semester examinations and allegedly warned against supervising the exercise.
A staff member told Business Hallmark that soldiers were stationed to protect students and staff who volunteered to participate in the exams.
“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 source said.
The move followed a September 13 circular by Registrar Hussaini Muhammad Enagi suspending ASUP’s activities on campus, citing security threats.
In his reaction, ASUP chairman Joshua urged members to vacate the campus “for the safety of lives and property,” stressing that lecturers’ grievances over unpaid allowances remained unresolved. He accused management of intimidation, including issuing queries to union executives, instead of addressing financial obligations.
He explained that the allowances, owed for 18 months under the present rector and 36 months under the previous administration, had caused hardship and dampened morale among staff.
But the institution’s Information Officer, Mallam Abubakar Dzukogi, denied reports that soldiers were deployed, insisting that examinations were conducted peacefully with the support of some directors after lecturers withdrew.
“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,” he said.
The standoff has further strained relations between ASUP and the polytechnic’s management, fuelling fears of prolonged disruption to the academic calendar.
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