ASUU Leaders Assault Journalists In Minna Over Strike Report

After hours of endless waiting by journalists, leaders of the Academic Staff Union of University, emerged from the Senate Building of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, venue of the National Executive Committee meeting of the union, to harass the anxious newsmen.

They shouted repeatedly, "who invited these stupid people."

One of the notable members of the Union that instructed security men to order the journalists to leave the building is the Chairman of ASUU in FUT, Minna, Dr. Abdulfatai Jimoh, who went ahead to assault the Daily Trust correspondent, Aliyu Hamagan.

Jimoh had earlier thought Hamagan was a member of the Union and invited him to come closer. He then asked, "Who brought this stupid people inside? What are they doing here?"

Hamagan, however, responded, "I am one of the people you are calling stupid. I will not have you insult us like that."

Jimoh, on finding out that he was speaking with a journalist, pushed Hamagan and asked him to leave the premises, saying, "You people are intruding, we did not invite you. Get out of this place now."

The meeting, which started at about 11.30am and holding in behind closed doors at the Senate Building of the FUT, Minna, was ongoing at the time of filing this report at about 7pm.

The scenario took another twist when members of ASUU NEC LOC emerged to inform journalists that some of them (ASUU) are not comfortable with the presence of the pressmen.

Jimoh, who was at this time furious, threatened the media men, saying "Anything wey una see, make una take am like that, because we didn't invite the media."

However, there was a disagreement among the members over the presence of the media. Some suggested that the journalists should stay because they were doing their job, others persisted that "we did not invite them. When we need them, we will invite them."

The Vice Chancellor FUT, Minna, Prof. Musbau Akanji, who got the news that ASUU assaulted some journalists, rushed to the venue pleading with the journalists.

"Although, I am not a part of the meeting, but I am apologising on their behalf because they are in my territory. This place (FUT, Minna) is a Federal Government institution, and it is a public place that everybody including journalists can enter especially when they are discharging their responsibilities," Akanji said.

*By the way, feelers have it that the strike may have been called off, but we are all still awaiting an official statement from ASUU*