BREAKING: Appeal Court Orders ASUU To Call Off Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been told to end its strike by the court of appeal, which has a hearing in Abuja.

The appellate court stated at the Friday court session that ASUU should abide by the industrial court’s order for the suspension of the strike before attempting to challenge the decision.

Since February 14, ASUU has been on strike to raise awareness of its demands, which include more financing for universities and a reassessment of professors’ pay among other things.

The federal government went to the national industrial court to contest the action after repeated attempts to stop the strike ended in failure.

The industrial court, in a ruling delivered on September 21, granted the federal government’s application for an interlocutory injunction to restrain ASUU from continuing with the strike pending the determination of the substantive suit.

Not satisfied with the ruling, ASUU approached the court of appeal seeking leave to challenge the lower court’s decision.

The court of appeal on Wednesday had asked the parties to explore the option of an out-of-court settlement.

However, at the court session on Thursday, both parties agreed to proceed with the hearing after failing to reach a settlement.

Delivering a ruling at the resumed court session on Friday, a three-member panel of the appellate court granted the union “conditional leave” to appeal the industrial court’s decision.

The panel led by Hamman Barka said for ASUU to file its notice of appeal within seven days, it must show evidence that its members have resumed work immediately.

The panel held that failure to adhere to the order will make the appeal incompetent before the court of appeal.