The Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State, has suspended the activities of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Bida Chapter, with immediate effect.
Registrar of the institution, Hussaini Enagi, announced the suspension on Tuesday, citing rising tension and security concerns on campus.
The decision comes just as the union directed its members to resume a suspended strike over unpaid allowances. According to ASUP, the management has failed to settle at least six months of an alleged 18-month backlog of Excess Workload Allowances owed to staff.
In a statement, the ASUP chapter told members to resume strike action immediately, describing their demand as “legitimate and anchored on justice.”
The union accused the school of insensitivity and vowed to continue the struggle until the allowances are paid. “We urge members to remain steadfast and undeterred,” ASUP said.
But Rector of the polytechnic, Dr. Baba Haruna, appealed for restraint, urging striking lecturers to respect colleagues who may wish to remain at their duty posts. He warned against intimidation of non-striking members.
Students Caught in the Middle
The strike has thrown students into uncertainty, with exams already scheduled to begin on September 15. The Governing Council warned that industrial action could disrupt the academic calendar further.
Meanwhile, the national leadership of ASUP has condemned the council’s suspension of union activities. National President, Shammah Kpanja, described the development as “disturbing,” raising alarm over reports of soldiers supervising examinations on campus.
ASUP’s national body vowed to escalate the matter, accusing management of trampling on labour rights.
Federal Polytechnic, Bida, was established in 1977 after the Federal Government relocated the Federal College of Technology from Kano. Academic activities began in 1978 with just 211 students. Today, it stands as one of Nigeria’s major polytechnics, but recurring disputes between management and staff continue to plague the institution.
