ASUP Strike: Bida poly mobilises soldiers to invigilate exams

The ongoing crisis at Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State, took a new turn on Monday when soldiers were reportedly deployed to examination halls.

This came after the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) warned its members not to supervise exams in the institution.

ASUP had declared an indefinite strike on September 15 over 18 months of unpaid excess workload allowances. The union, led by Comrade Kolo Joshua, told members to boycott the semester exams and allegedly threatened those who might supervise.

According to a staff member, management brought in soldiers to protect students and the few staff who volunteered to conduct the examinations.

“The exams started today, and while some staff participated, ASUP threatened to disrupt the process.

That is why management brought in soldiers to protect both students and staff,” the source said.

The move followed a September 13 circular from the school’s Registrar, Hussaini Muhammad Enagi, announcing the suspension of ASUP activities on campus due to security concerns.

In response, Comrade Joshua advised union members to leave the campus “for their safety,” while stressing that their grievances remained unresolved.
He accused management of intimidation instead of dialogue.

“The allowances, which have piled up to 18 months under the current rector and 36 months under the former administration, have caused hardship and lowered morale among lecturers. Instead of paying, management is issuing queries to ASUP leaders,” he said.
But the institution’s Information Officer, Mallam Abubakar Dzukogi, denied that soldiers were deployed for exams.

“This is a civil matter. I visited the exam halls myself and saw no soldiers. Management only made sure the exams went on despite the strike,” he said, adding that some directors of the polytechnic conducted the exams after lecturers withdrew.

The standoff has deepened the conflict between ASUP and the school’s management, raising fears of more disruptions to the academic calendar.