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The National industrial court has ordered the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU to immediately call off its ongoing strike action.
The judge, Polycarp Hamman agreed with the government that irreparable damage was being done to the lives of students rendered idle by the ongoing strike.
He said not granting the injunction would only cause additional damage to the ambitions of young Nigerians.
He cited examples of the National Youth Service Corps and employment in Nigeria’s armed forces where age is a requirement for participation and employment.
He also said the Trade Dispute Act prohibits parties from engaging in an industrial action when disputes have been referred to the industrial court, the Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP) or when a conciliator has been appointed.
Mr Falana, ASUU’s lawyer, had argued that the affidavit filed by Ikechukwu Wamba, a legal officer at the Ministry of Labour and Employment in support of the application should not be admitted as the deponent was neither a member of the university community nor part of any meetings held with the union.
But the judge Hamman disagreed, saying Mr Wamba as a legal officer and a member of management at the labour ministry had access to the official documents of the negotiations as well as offering legal advice to the minister.
The judge also disagreed with Mr Falana’s submission that the government has not made necessary moves to curtail the strike since it commenced in February.
He said pieces of evidence from meetings with the government which began days after the strike until 1 September proved negotiations had been ongoing.
However, addressing reporters after proceedings, ASUU’s counsel, Edorjeh Edo, said the union has options and will study them for further actions.
Meanwhile, the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Usman Barambu, expressed delight that the striking university lecturers had been ordered to return to class, “but on this note, we want to call on the government to fulfil its own part.”
This article was updated 3 weeks ago
