There is heavy security at the Unity Fountain in Abuja as a group of demonstrators from the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) converge to participate in a nationwide protest.
Hundreds of the protesters have already arrived at the Unity Fountain, but some have been prevented from entering the arena by security personnel.
Following some commotion from the protesters, the gate has been opened, and the demonstrators have now used their trucks to block the entrance to the Unity Fountain.
The protesters are calling for the release of their four months’ unpaid salaries and the reevaluation of the 2010 agreement with the Federal Government, among other requests.
In 2022, both unions, along with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, went on a prolonged strike.
While the SSANU and NASU strikes lasted four months, the ASUU strike continued for eight months.
Despite President Bola Tinubu’s directive for the affected staff to receive their four-month salaries, SSANU and NASU members allege that they have not been paid, unlike ASUU members.
Both unions have urged their members to participate in a nationwide protest on July 9 at all state chapters, with a subsequent national protest planned for Abuja today.
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Members of NASU, SSANU Stage Nationwide Protests Across Campuses (video)