UNI-ABUJA ABDUCTION: ASUU CALLS ON FG FOR IMMEDIATE RESCUE AND RELEASE OF MEMBERS
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Abuja branch, has called on the Federal Government and security agencies to rescue and release all abducted members of staff of the university.
The Chairperson of the branch, Dr Kasim Umar, made the call on Thursday, during a news conference in Gwagwalada, while reacting to the recent abduction of its members from the university staff quarters.
Umar, who expressed concern over the insecurity situation, said unless stringent and urgent measures are put in place to rescue its members, things may become worse.
He hinted that the Senior Staff Quarters were built by President Shehu Shayari’s administration, originally as a Police Barracks at the inception of the university in 1988 and later converted to temporary accommodation for founding staff.
“We demand immediate rescue and release of all our kidnapped members, children and other staff, who are currently being held by the criminals; government should act swiftly to ensure this is done.
“Perimeter fencing around the Staff Quarters should be immediately embarked upon because there is a need for effective control of movement around the university’s quarters.
“There should be active cooperation between the military, other security agencies and the university administration.
“To make this effective, ASUU demands the establishment of a rapid response unit in the form of a joint task force or police mobile unit or military special force, which could be called upon, in case of any emergency.
“We call for the immediate ejection of all illegal occupants and trespassers from the university land.
“There is need to embark on the immediate construction of residential quarters that befit the status of a university in the Federal Capital Territory,” NAN quoted him as saying.
Umar, further revealed that the entire staff quarters was in bad shape and the road infrastructure completely deteriorated, adding that parts of the perimeter fence had also collapsed making security around the quarters almost non-existent.
He also stressed that the students’ hostels are highly insecure and the entire campus, vulnerable to all manners of attacks.
“Unauthorised individuals have occupied some parts of the university land thereby increasing the state of insecurity on the campus.’’
It would be recalled that on Tuesday November 2, 2021, gunmen attacked the staff quarters of the University of Abuja, as the assailants adducted six persons, comprising two professors, one senior lecturer, and three of their family members.
