ASUU Strike: Police Tighten Security In Abuja As NLC’s Solidarity Protest Continues

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have beefed up security around Unity Fountain, Abuja, venue for the commencement of the continued nationwide protest embarked upon by workers under the auspices of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The workers across 36 states of the federation, had on Tuesday begun the protest, warning the federal government to yield to their calls in reopening Nigerian universities by meeting the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other three unions.

Our correspondent, who arrived at Unity Fountain at 7:15 am on Wednesday, observed that officers of the Nigerian police were strategically positioned at the venue apparently to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

One of the officers, who spoke condition of anonymity, said some of his colleagues had been at the venue since Tuesday in order to map out strategies and avert any possible attack, adding that they were not only deployed for the protest, Daily Trust reports.

”We had since been deployed here. In fact, some of my colleagues have been sleeping here since the day that attack happened in Bwari. So, we were not only deployed for this protest alone,” the officer said.

The police officers are being joined by their counterparts from the Department of State Services (DSS) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The national leadership of NLC had on Tuesday via an official memo, directed over 50 unions which are its affiliates to mobilise their members in large numbers and join the protest in the nation’s capital.

The protest, to be led by the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, entered its second day today.