ASUU Leaders Adamant On Strike

Following threats from the Federal Government, leaders of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday relocated from Abuja to their various campuses in readiness for expected crackdown.

A top leader of ASUU, who spoke in confidence, said: "Our leaders have returned to their campuses. They were disappointed with the Area Boy or Agbero method adopted by the Minister."

"The military style of the Minister of State for Education will only compound the situation."

"So, we are back to our trenches as it was the situation during the military era. We are ready for the worst now."

"If the situation becomes uncontrollable, we will also go underground and resort to guerilla tactics."

A senior government official, who also spoke in confidence, said: "We hope that they will not overreach their bounds, because what they have done in the last four months amounted to economic sabotage."

"If they continue to take the law into their hands by paralysing activities in the universities, we may try them for economic sabotage. This is also the extreme end the government may go too."

"Let them study the enabling laws to see what they have been violating. We are not yet disposed to wielding the big stick, but if the government is pushed to the wall, it will invoke relevant laws to manage the situation. We are waiting for what they will do."

A different source said: "All the security agencies have been directed to protect lives and property on all the campuses nationwide, especially in the universities that have reopened."

"Union leaders are also under watch to prevent recourse to self-help, which may lead to wanton destruction of property."

"The government will not tolerate any intimidation or harassment, and any violent union leader risks being arrested. But those who restrict themselves to the confines of the law have nothing to fear."