Activities at various public hospitals and tertiary institutions of learning across Nigeria have been grounded following the industrial action embarked upon by the Joint Action Committee of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities.

Checks by Investors King on Tuesday revealed that workers belonging to these striking bodies refused to resume their duty posts in compliance with the indefinite strike.

Many patients who had visited public hospitals were not attended to while some newly admitted students of some federal Universities and Polytechnic were stranded in their schools.

It was gathered that there were no workers to attend to them in their registration exercises.

For instance at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State where matriculation events are ongoing, the event was stalled on Tuesday after workers deserted their duty posts.

A pregnant woman who had visited Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo for medical attention said she was not attended to because workers who are members of NASU joined the strike.

Recall that on Monday, federal universities across the country were shut down, in compliance with the indefinite strike called
by the associations.

SSANU and NASU vowed to indefinitely shut down all university activities across the country, starting Monday, until the Federal Government paid the four months withheld salaries.

A statement signed by the National President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, and the General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi, said the ultimatum it gave the Federal Government over its withheld salaries expired Sunday midnight, hence the industrial action.

The unions are demanding, among others, the payment of the four-month withheld salaries, improved remuneration, earned allowances, and implementation of the 2009 agreements with the government.

The Federal Government had, through the Ministry of Labour and Employment, invoked the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy when the four university-based unions embarked on a prolonged strike in 2022.

Last October, President Bola Tinubu directed payment of four of the eight months withheld salaries for the academic staff. It was finally paid in February.

The directive was silent about the non-teaching staff, raising concerns as to their fate, a development the unions described as selective.

The Federal Ministry of Education on Monday reached out to the leaders of the university workers’ union, following the declaration of an indefinite strike.

Ibrahim noted that the ministry reached out to him requesting a meeting.

According to Ibrahim, the compliance observed in universities on Monday likely prompted the Federal Ministry of Education to request a meeting.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have apprehended a member of the House of Representatives, Alex Mascot Ikwechegh for assaulting an e-hailing driver in Abuja.

Josephine Adeh, the spokesperson for the Abuja Command, confirmed that Ikwechegh was arrested on Monday.

She said Ikwechegh is “at the Maitama Police Station undergoing questioning”.

The Police spokesperson explained in the statement that the cab driver, Stephen Abuwatseya, reported the matter to the Command, hence the lawmaker’s arrest.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that Mr. Abuwatseya was delivering a package to Hon. Ikwegh when a dispute arose concerning the method of delivery. During this altercation, Mr. Abuwatseya was reportedly physically assaulted.

“The FCT Police Command expresses grave concern over Hon. Ikwegh’s dismissive attitude toward the office of the Inspector General of Police following the incident.

“After allegedly slapping the victim, he reportedly remarked with contempt, ‘You can go ahead and call the Inspector General of Police,’ demonstrating a troubling disregard for the authority of law enforcement.

“Currently, the suspect is at the Maitama Police Station undergoing questioning,” the statement read.

The statement added that the Commissioner of Police in the FCT, Olatunji Disu, has mandated a thorough investigation into the matter.

“The Command is committed to conducting an impartial investigation and ensuring justice in all cases. Upon completion of the investigation, appropriate legal action will be taken.”

A viral video circulated on social media by the cab driver indicated that the Abia lawmaker slapped him three times for asking him to come out of his house and collect his delivery.

The driver also alleged that the lawmaker refused to pay him for his services and that the legislator insulted and shredded his cloth in an attempt to seize his phone for recording him.

In the video, the lawmaker was heard lampooning the can driver for allegedly disrespecting a man of his status