The National Industrial Court on Wednesday ordered the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off its ongoing nationwide strike, pending the determination of a suit filed by the Federal Government.
In a bid to end the strike amid the outcry sparked by the industrial action which has been ongoing for over seven months, the government decided to take legal action against the union.
It filed an application for an interlocutory injunction, seeking an order of the court restraining ASUU from further continuing with the strike.
Delivering a ruling on the government’s application, Justice Polycarp Hamman restrained ASUU from continuing with the strike and ordered that the case file should be returned to the president of the Industrial Court for reassignment to another judge, as he is a vacation judge.
According to him, the strike is detrimental to public university students who cannot afford to attend private tertiary institutions, and the Trade Dispute Act mandates workers not to embark on strike once an issue has been referred to the industrial court.
While the government commended the decision of the court, ASUU rejected it and vowed to challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal.
Certified True Copy of the ruling delivered by Justice Hamman below:
