Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) on Thursday staged a peaceful protest at Bayero University, Kano, in compliance with the directive of their National Joint Action Committee (JAC).

SolaceBase recalls that the National JAC of SSANU and NASU had earlier directed all branches across the country to convene meetings on Wednesday and embark on a peaceful protest the following day to press home their demands.

Speaking during the protest, the National Vice President of SSANU, Northwest Zone, Sabo Balareba Wudil, said members were on the streets to demand the payment of their withheld salaries and the implementation of the 2009 agreement signed with the federal government.

“We are on the street because of our long-overdue demands still being held by the previous administration. For a long time, we have been agitating for the payment of our two months’ withheld salaries, as well as the review of the 2009 welfare agreement between the unions and the federal government, which should have been done over 20 years ago,” Wudil said.

He also lamented the non-payment of arrears for the approved 25–35 percent salary increment implemented by the previous administration.

“Up till now, the arrears for January 2023 to December 2023 have not been paid,” he added.

Wudil accused the federal government of ignoring several memoranda of understanding and agreements signed with the unions, saying their patience was running out.

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“This peaceful protest is our first step to remind the government to do the needful. If they fail to act, our next line of action will be decided by our national leadership,” he stated.

The protesters later marched to the Senate Building, where they presented their letter of grievance for onward transmission to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Receiving the protesters, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Development, Professor Amina Mustapha, who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Haruna Musa, assured the union members of the university’s solidarity.

“On behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, I want to assure you that he is with you. As a comrade himself, he asked me to extend his support, and whatever action is necessary, we will do it together,” Professor Mustapha said.

The protest was peaceful, with members carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs to express their frustrations over what they described as prolonged neglect by the federal government.