The crisis rocking the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State, escalated on Monday as soldiers were deployed to examination halls following threats by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP).
The union had on September 15 declared an indefinite strike over 18 months of unpaid excess workload allowances.
The union, led by Comrade Kolo Joshua, directed members to boycott the semester examinations and allegedly warned against supervision of the exercise.
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A staff member of the polytechnic, who confirmed the development, told Daily Trust that soldiers were stationed to provide security for students and academic staff willing to conduct the examinations.
"The polytechnic started examinations today, and while some staff volunteered to participate, the union had threatened to stop the process. That was why management brought in soldiers to protect students and staff," the source said.
The development followed a September 13 circular by the institution's Registrar, Hussaini Muhammad Enagi, announcing the suspension of ASUP's activities on campus, citing security concerns.
Reacting, Joshua advised union members to vacate the campus "for the safety of lives and property," stressing that the lecturers' grievances over unpaid allowances remained unresolved.
He accused management of intimidation, including issuing queries to ASUP executives, instead of addressing financial obligations.
He explained that the allowances, running into 18 months under the current rector and 36 months under the previous administration, had caused hardship and dampened morale among lecturers.
Meanwhile, the polytechnic's Information Officer, Mallam Abubakar Dzukogi, denied that soldiers were used to supervise the examination.
He insisted that only some directors of the institution participated in the exercise after lecturers withdrew.
"This is a civil matter. I went round the examination centres and did not see soldiers. Management only ensured the examination held despite the union's strike," Dzukogi said.
The dispute has further deepened the standoff between ASUP and the institution's management, raising concerns about possible disruptions to the academic calendar.
