Non-teaching staff of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, under the name, Joint Action Committee, has barricaded the institution’s main gate for alleged arrest of its chairman by the police.
The protesters numbering about 2,000 locked the first gate as early as 7 a.m. and prevented students and visitors from entering or leaving the university.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that JAC comprises Senior Staff Association of University, Non Academic Staff Union of Universities and National Association of Academic Technologists.
The Treasurer of JAC-UNN, Moses Akata, told newsmen that they were protesting because the police arrested their Chairman, Mr Paul Arua, and his two sons by 3 a.m on Tuesday.
Akata said: “Police arrested our chairman this morning without telling us the offence he committed.
“The gate of the university will remain under lock and key until Arua is released as we do not know his whereabouts.
“The non-teaching staff strike is nationwide; we do not know why our chairman will be singled out for arrest.”
Akata alleged that the Vice Chancellor of UNN, Prof Benjamin Ozumba, was responsible for Arua’s arrest as he had threatened many times to deal with the non-academic staff leadership of the university.
He said: “This strike is going on in all universities in the country; nobody in other universities has been arrested. I do not know why UNN case will be different.
“The vice chancellor has refused to pay our check off dues and other allowances for some time now as a way of crippling the finances of non-teaching staff.
“We have been having peaceful strike enforcement since this action started. I do not know why somebody should go to the extent of arresting our chairman.”
NAN reports that there was heavy presence of police at the first gate led by the Nsukka Area Police Commander, Steve Yabanet.
Meanwhile, the vice-chancellor has said that he was not responsible for the arrest of Arua.
He said: “I did not arrest Arua; the leadership of non-teaching staff should go to police and find out what he did that made police to arrest him.”
Also, Ebere Amarizu, Enugu State Command Police Public Relations Office, confirmed the arrest and said the labour leader was arrested on report of alleged vandalism by his members.
Amaraizu said: “Arua was arrested by the police on report of vandalism by the striking non-teaching staff of the university.
“Police have started investigation and he will be released if he is innocent of the allegation of vandalism by his group.
“Arua was not arrested because he committed any crime personally but because he is the leader of the non-teaching staff in UNN.”