Police disperse protesting poly, college of education lecturers with tear gas

Disturbed by the obvious insensitivity of the Federal Government to their plight, members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics and the College of Education Academic Staff Union on Tuesday took to the streets of the capital city, Abuja.
However, the aggrieved lecturers, who gathered at the Federal Secretariat as early as 9am, were dispersed with tear gas canisters by the police.
The lecturers and students, who came out in their hundreds, displayed placards with various inscriptions like: “Spend money on tertiary institutions”, “Give priority to teachers’ education in Nigeria”, and “Wike must go”.
After being addressed by the Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu, the protesters moved to the National Assembly to formally present a protest letter to President of the Senate, David Mark; and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal.
They could not however accomplish their mission as the police prevented them from entering the National Assembly Complex.
Rather than being allowed to exercise their legitimate right to protest, the police sent the lecturers and students who joined them away, using tear gas canisters and water cannon.
Addressing the protesters earlier, the Minister of Labour, Emeka Wogu, said government was doing its best to address the demands of the teachers.
According to Wogu: “The truth is that we are almost there.
“I want to reassure you that the federal government is doing its best.
“And I want to assure you that immediately we leave here, I will go with your leaders to discuss and conclude.
“I cannot discuss with everybody.
“I cannot discuss with everybody.
“I am happy about the way you conducted yourself.
“You are not violent so allow your leaders to discuss with me at the end of the procession.
“Before evening you will get an answer.”
Speaking to newsmen, COEASU National President, Asagba Nkoro, said they would not be deterred despite the hostile attitude of the police, vowing that the strike would continue.
Nkoro said: “They didn’t just use tear gas and water, they even used guns to threaten us.
“And they say we are in democracy.
“For lecturers who have been out of school for 10 months, if you decide to attack us when we are peaceful and unarmed, it is a terrible thing.
“We are not going to give up.
“We would still find a way to submit our protest letters at the National Assemble.
“If they want kill us they should kill us.
“The funniest aspect is that the policemen that are shooting guns and gas canisters also have their children in our schools.
“It is terrible thing.”