Soldiers Deployed to Federal Polytechnic Bida as Lecturers Attempt to Disrupt Exams

The crisis at the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State, escalated on Monday as soldiers were reportedly deployed to examination halls following threats from the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP).

The union, led by Comrade Kolo Joshua, had declared an indefinite strike on September 15 over 18 months of unpaid excess workload allowances. ASUP members were directed to boycott semester examinations and allegedly warned colleagues against supervising the process.

A staff member of the polytechnic confirmed to journalists that soldiers were stationed to protect students and academic staff willing to participate in the examinations.

“The polytechnic began examinations today. While some staff volunteered to conduct the exercise, the union threatened to disrupt it. This led to the deployment of soldiers to safeguard both students and staff,” the source disclosed.

The situation followed a circular issued on September 13 by the institution’s Registrar, Hussaini Muhammad Enagi, suspending ASUP activities on campus, citing security concerns.

In response, Comrade Joshua advised union members to vacate the campus “for the safety of lives and property,” emphasizing that lecturers’ grievances over unpaid allowances had not been addressed. He accused management of intimidation, including issuing queries to union executives instead of resolving financial obligations.

He explained that the arrears span 18 months under the current rector and 36 months under the previous administration, leaving lecturers demoralized and under severe financial strain.

However, the institution’s Information Officer, Mallam Abubakar Dzukogi, denied claims that soldiers were deployed to supervise examinations.

“This is a civil matter. I went around the examination centres and did not see soldiers. Management only ensured that examinations held despite the union’s strike,” he stated.

The ongoing dispute has deepened tensions between ASUP and the institution’s management, sparking concerns over potential disruptions to the academic calendar.