Journalists Assaulted by ASUU Officials in Minna

Some officials of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger state on Monday, allegedly maltreated journalists who were at the university to monitor proceedings at the union's NEC meeting which was expected to take a decision to suspend the five-month-old strike embarked upon by lecturers in public universities nationwide Thisday reports.

According to Thisday, on arrival at the university, the journalists were barred from getting close to the venue of the meeting based on the orders by the branch Chairman, Dr. Abdulfatai Jimoh.

After arguments, the  journalists were allowed entrance but a few hours later, Jimoh  ordered them to leave the vicinity, but their reluctance to obey him led to assaults on some of the journalists.

Jimoh, angered by their refusal,  resorted to name-calling and hurling insults at them claiming the presence of journalists was not needed.

However, according to Vanguard there was disagreement among ASUU members over the presence of the media, some suggested the media should stay because they are doing their job, others persisted that “we did not invite them. When we need them, we will invite them.”

Contrary to reports by some media outlets yesterday, there has been no confirmation that the ongoing ASUU strike has been called off.