The Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA), University of Benin chapter, on Monday, 13 October accused accused members of the the University of Benin chapter of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of allegedly assaulting its members in their bid to enforce the strike action ASUU has embarked on.
The chairman of the union, Comrade Ishaq Osagie-Eweka, made the allegation while speaking with journalists in Benin.
He alleged that members of ASUU invaded the classroom when students were writing their examinations and forcefully evicted them.
Comrade Eweka said that the lecturers were not spared as they were allegedly rough handled by members of ASUU who were carrying out their order.
According to him “They invaded the classroom, harassed the vice chairperson of the union, destroyed her phone, and I’ve sent videos to the chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Edo State Council to confirm what I’ve seen on camera.
“I want to inform the general public that the University of Benin is conducting examination as we speak. The ASUU may be on strike, but the Congress of Nigerian University Academics are on ground to conduct exams.
“It is your responsibility as a union having declared strike to withdraw your services, but not to enforce your declaration on another union.”
Eweka called on the Inspector -General of Police and other security agencies to come to their rescue and save them from undue embarrassment.
“So, we want to use this opportunity to call on the Inspector- General of Police, the Commissioner of Police, and other security agencies to ensure that CONUA members are protected from the intimidation and harassment of ASUU, who have chosen not to be civil in an attempt to enforce their will on other academic union members.
“We are a civil union and we believe in dialogue. We don’t believe in confrontation and we are dialoguing with government and we know in due course the welfare of our members will be met”, Eweka said.
The claim was also corroborated by Professor Godspower Ekuobase, lecturer in the department of Computer Science of the University.
However, debunking the alleged assault on members of the CONUA, a member of ASUU, UNIBEN chapter, who preferred anonymity, said that no member of CONUA was assaulted.
