Tensions at the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State, reached a boiling point on Monday as soldiers were deployed to examination halls to counter threats by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) to disrupt ongoing semester examinations. The escalation follows ASUP’s declaration of an indefinite strike on September 15, protesting 18 months of unpaid excess workload allowances, with some grievances dating back 36 months from the previous administration.
ASUP, led by Comrade Kolo Joshua, directed its members to boycott the examinations and allegedly warned against any participation in supervising the process. A staff member, speaking anonymously to Daily Trus, confirmed that soldiers were stationed across examination centers to protect students and academic staff willing to conduct 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 ensure security,” the source revealed.
The polytechnic started examinations today, and while some staff volunteered to participate, the union had threatened to stop the process
The deployment follows a September 13 circular by the institution’s Registrar, Hussaini Muhammad Enagi, suspending ASUP’s activities on campus due to security concerns. The move has been met with fierce resistance from the union, with Joshua accusing the polytechnic’s management of resorting to intimidation tactics, including issuing queries to ASUP executives, instead of addressing the lecturers’ financial grievances.
“The unpaid allowances, spanning 18 months under the current rector and 36 months under the previous administration, have caused immense hardship and dampened morale,” Joshua stated. He urged union members to vacate the campus for their safety, emphasizing that their demands remain unresolved.
This is a civil matter. I went round the examination centers and did not see soldiers. Management only ensured the examination held despite the union’s strike
However, the polytechnic’s Information Officer, Mallam Abubakar Dzukogi, denied claims of military involvement, insisting that only some institutional directors stepped in to oversee the examinations after lecturers withdrew.
“This is a civil matter. I went round the examination centers and did not see soldiers. Management only ensured the examination held despite the union’s strike,” Dzukogi told reporters. His statement contradicts eyewitness accounts, further fueling the controversy.
The standoff has deepened the rift between ASUP and the polytechnic’s management, raising fears of prolonged disruptions to the academic calendar. With students caught in the crossfire, the deployment of soldiers to secure examination halls marks a troubling precedent in the institution’s handling of labor disputes. Stakeholders are now calling for urgent dialogue to resolve the crisis and prevent further escalation, as the unresolved allowances continue to cast a shadow over academic activities at Federal Polytechnic, Bida.