Offa Students Suspend Protest As Strike Continues

Nigeria: Students of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, has suspended the protest which he started on Monday over they described as the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP).

The students, who said they would await the outcome of ASUP congress slated for January 17, threatened to resume the protest if the strike which started on October 4 is not called off.

Vehicular movement in Offa was disrupted on Monday, following the protest. The ever-busy Oshogbo road was equally blocked by the students who expressed anger that the federal government was not doing enough to end the strike.

The suspension of the protest, Daily Trust gathered, followed a marathon meeting with the management of the polytechnic and the ASUP leadership. The meeting which lasted over five hours ended on Tuesday evening.

President of the Students' Union Government (SUG) of the polytechnic, Comrade Festus Oluwasegun told Daily Trust that the protest which was hitherto planned to continue until the strike was called off was suspended following the intervention of the school management.

The students also urged the local ASUP chapter to pull out of the union and re-open the school, saying the strike has taken a toll on their studies.

When contacted, ASUP chairman at the polytechnic, Dr. Sola Ojeniyi declined comments. The institution's Public Relations Officer Imran Alawode, on his part, said though the strike is beyond the management, the school authority is working closely with the union to bring an end to finding a lasting solution.