ASUU threatens strike if FG doesn’t rescue abducted lecturers

The Peoples Democratic Party, the Nigeria Labour Congress and civil rights groups, on Sunday, lashed out at the Federal Government for the killing of lecturers and oil workers on their way to the Lake Chad Basin by the Boko Haram sect.   

Also, the Academic Staff Union of Universities has threatened to “call out” its members if its abducted members in the University of Maiduguri are not freed.

At least 48 people, including five lecturers of UNIMAID, about 15 soldiers, 11 members of the Civilian Joint Task Force and workers of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, were killed on Thursday on their way to prospect for crude oil in Barno Yasu in the Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State.

The Nigerian Army had, in a statement on Friday by its spokesman, Brig-Gen. Sani Usman, said it had rescued some of the workers, who were attacked by the sect.

Shortly after the Army issued the statement, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, said he was not aware of rescue.

In a statement on Saturday, the Army spokesperson, said the error in his earlier statement about the rescue of oil workers was “not deliberate”.

The PDP called on the Federal Government to stop deceiving Nigerians with its claim that Boko Haram had been defeated.

It said events in the last few days had shown that the terror group was still very potent.

The party said it was sad with the claim by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Prof. Ibrahim Njodi, that four of the university’s workers were still missing.

Njodi also said five of the university’s workers were brought to the town dead, adding that nine staff of the university were killed.

The spokesperson for the National Caretaker Committee of the PDP, Mr. Dayo Adeyeye, who spoke with one of Punch correspondents on the issue in Abuja on Sunday, said Nigerians had known that the government was lying.

Also, the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, said the union would take action if the Federal Government did not strengthen security in UNIMAID and ensure the release of the abducted lecturers.