Strike: Court orders police to re-open KASU gates
The Principal District Court of Kaduna State has granted the Commissioner of Police authorization to reopen the gates of Kaduna State University (KASU). This action, which will be carried out by designated officers under the supervision of a court official, follows a motion filed ex parte by the university’s management and Governing Council.
The court order, issued on November 10, also instructs the Commissioner of Police to break open any locks or remove barriers securing the university gates, utilizing only the necessary and reasonable force to restore access for authorized staff and students.
This order remains in effect pending the hearing of a motion on notice or the interim order previously established by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in suit number NICN/ABJ/329/2026.
KASU’s management and Governing Council sought the court’s intervention to prevent unions from locking the university gates or obstructing access for authorized personnel. The unions named as respondents include the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), along with their officials.
In an affidavit supporting the application, the Chairman of KASU’s Governing Council, Ibrahim Umar, stated that the National Industrial Court in Abuja had issued an interim order on November 5, 2026, prohibiting the unions from initiating or participating in any industrial action. He noted that the court’s order, issued on November 6, mandated the unions to cease any strike activities pending further court proceedings.
Umar’s affidavit indicated that the court processes, including the interim order, were served to the unions at 2:30 p.m. on November 9. Despite this, the unions proceeded with their strike, which included locking university gates, staff offices, and classrooms, effectively barring access to authorized staff and students.
Umar expressed concern that these developments have significantly disrupted the academic and administrative functions of the university, with locked facilities remaining inaccessible as of the most recent inspection.
