ASUU appeals Industrial Court order to suspend strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has approached the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, Nigeria, asking it to set aside the judgement of the National Industrial Court, which ordered it to suspend its seven-month industrial action.

The union, in a 14-ground of appeal it lodged through its team of lawyers led by a frontline human rights activist, Mr Femi Falana, equally applied for a stay of execution of the judgement.

The interim injunction directing ASUU members to resume work followed an application filed by the government through its lawyer, Mr James Igwe.

Justine Hamman held that the order was both in the national interest and for the sake of undergraduates in the country that have been at home since February 14.

He held that the strike action was detrimental to public university students that cannot afford to attend private tertiary institutions.

It would be recalled that the National Industrial Court had in a judgement that was delivered on Wednesday, September 21, 2022 by Justice Polycarp Hamman, ordered the striking varsity lecturers to return to the classroom, pending the determination of a suit the Nigerian Government filed to query the legality of their strike action.