Recall that Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had threatened to embark on an indefinite strike action if lecturers of the University of Maiduguri abducted by Boko Haram were not released. This was after five staff of that University had been killed along with about 40 others by Boko Haram in an ambush during an oil exploration mission to the Lake Chad Basin. Other groups have thrown their weight behind ASUU, stating that the strike should go ahead if the Federal Government did not make efforts to ensure the release of abducted University staff.
The Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society, on Monday, July 31, expressed support for the strike threat by the ASUU if the Federal Government did not ensure the release of lecturers and oil workers kidnapped by Boko Haram in Borno State.
The NMGS consists of the Nigerian Petroleum and Explorations Association, the Nigerian Association of Private Geologists, Nigerian Mining Engineers Society and other unions in the energy sector.
The President, NMGS, Prof. Silas Dada, while addressing the media in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, called on the Federal Government to intensify negotiation for the release of the captives.
He stated that out of the nine members of staff of UNIMAID involved in the attack, five were geologists, out of which two, had been killed, two abducted and one still missing.
Dada recalled that two of the geologists – Dr. Yusuf Ibrahim and Dr. Solomon Yusu – who are lecturers in the Geology Department of the university along with a driver of the varsity, Mr. Idris Jodi, were seen in a video released by the insurgents and sent to a television station.
He identified the deceased members of staff of UNIMAID as Dr. Militus Joseph, Dr. Manager Uba of the Geology Department; Dr. Daniel Birman and Mohammed Kamfo of the Soil Science Department.
He also aligned with the decision of the Federal Government, as announced by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, to stop oil exploration in the area pending the improvement of security.
Also, the Coalition Against Injustice, has appealed to acting President Yemi Osinbajo, to deploy all possible resources towards the prompt rescue of the University of Maiduguri lecturers who were abducted by the Boko Haram sect during an oil exploration mission to the Lake Chad Basin.
The CAI in a letter dated July 30, 2017 by its Patron, Prof. Adetayo Adeyemi, and addressed to the acting President, emphasized the to see to the immediate release of the lecturers, who were abducted while on a national assignment, adding that these lecturers are bread winners and should be rescued to return to their families.
Group 13
Please the Government should do something about it…… Strike isn’t a great idea.
Please the government to do something about this before it’s late.
They should work on it to prevent it on time before they do more
Group 1
2016054003
The government should look into this matter because strike will only delay the education of students….
Group 3
The Government should put more effort and consider time while working on it.
Group 1
“No time to check time” ….the government should be fast with the plans of stopping the strike and also the release of abducted lectures…
2016054007
Group 3
The government should do something about this issue very fast.
Ezeakudo mirabel
2016054020
Group 13
The Government should put more effort and consider time
while working on it.
2016054066
Group 15
Pls the government should do something about insurgency, and rescue those abducted lecturals.
Group 8
Boko haram has done so much harm to Nigerian economy and education,
Government should wake up please.
Group 13.
Please that strike should be seriously prevented.
Group 13.
Strike is not good…but why will government keep quiet to such case,I don’t want strike but if that will make the government to do something about breadwinners of the family then we have to accept it….
If the school is waiting for government to intervene, they are just wasting their time. Because government of today is hard to understand.
strike is not the way forward,the Federal government should act fast,rescue those abducted and do everything possible to prevent the strike.
Group; 5