NLC Strike: Area Commanders, DPOs, To Lead As NLC Rally Underway In Ibadan

The Oyo State Police Command has directed that top-level personnel lead the solidarity protest as organised by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Oyo State.

The solidarity protest was organised by the NLC nationwide to support the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Williams in issuing the directive adds that it was necessary to ensure adequate security coverage and to protect the lives and properties of citizens and residents throughout the duration of the protests.

The directive also stipulated that Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, and Tactical Commanders should oversee the security during the protests.

In a statement signed by the command spokesperson, Adewale Osifeso, the statement reiterated that the command's security architecture had been rejigged to comprehensively cater for all and sundry, bearing in mind its statutory mandate of protection of lives and property of the good people of the state in line with standard operational practices hinged on the constitution and any other relevant law and statute.

Williams further assured the citizens and residents of the state and Ibadan metropolis in particular of the command’s readiness to tackle any threat, existing or emerging during the course of the proposed procession, thus ensuring it is not hijacked by unscrupulous and mischievous elements.

He, however, urged the parents, guardians and leaders wielding different degrees of influence to advise their children, wards and proteges against being used to scuttle the relative tranquillity status enjoyed in the state.

"The good people of the state are enjoined to be unrelenting with providing timely and credible information capable of nipping crime in the bud at all times, please.”

ASUU had been on a four-week warning strike on February 14, 2022, to press for its demands on the revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowances, University Transparency Accountability Solution, UTAS, and promotion arrears, renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement.

The strike is also to address the inconsistencies in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, payments which were neglected after meetings with Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.

The strike action which is now over five months old is yet to exert any solution from the federal government.

Meanwhile, the rally which commenced on Tuesday according to the NLC is to compel the Federal Government to resolve all the lingering issues to re-open public universities for academic activities soonest.