The Academic Staff Union of Universities has alleged that its leaders across the country are being watched by security agencies. It said the union leaders’ lives were under threat. ASUU said security forces were secretly investigating its leaders’ sources of finance. Chairman of the University of Ibadan chapter of the union, Dr. Olusegun Ajiboye, in a release titled “ASUU strike: Union leaders go underground,” said he had received calls warning him about his role in the strike. He however said the union would not bow to pressure from security agencies over its action. Members of ASUU have been on strike since July 1 thus paralyzing academics in public universities for over three months now. “The position of ASUU is that Nigeria is a democratic country and citizens are guaranteed freedom of association. Members of the union are apprehensive for the lives of their leaders. We urge the government to leave our leaders alone. Our leaders are our servants, we are their principals, they report to us on all matters. Rather than chasing shadow, government is once again called upon to implement the 2009 agreement with ASUU. Only this will bring members to their classrooms,” he said. According to him, the recent security threat has forced many ASUU leaders to go underground, alleging that many of their phone numbers have been bugged. “Apart from the issue of finance, ASUU leaders are now being trailed all over the place. Majority of our union leaders have now gone underground while many have their telephone lines bugged. Some are now living in fear for their lives,” Ajiboye said.
