Court orders ASUU to call off strike

Justice Polycarp Hamman of the national industrial court of Nigeria (NICN) has ordered the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off its ongoing nationwide strike and resume academic activities pending the determination of the lawsuit filed by the federal government.

Justice Polycap, who is a vacation judge ordered that the case filed be returned to the president of the Industrial Court for reassignment to another judge.

Recall that the federal government had dragged the academic union before the industrial court requesting that ASUU should be restrained from continuing with the industrial action and return to the classrooms while negotiations continue.

The federal government through its counsel, James Igwe, had argued that calling off the strike was in the interest of the Nigerian students who have borne the brunt of the perpetual closure of universities.

Today, September 21, the court invoked Section 18 of the Trade Dispute Act and the national interest of the Nigerian students to grant the request of the Federal Government for an order of injunction against the lecturers.