Nigerian varsity strike over colleagues sacked 14 yrs ago

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=africa&item=080218102956.ao1v1tsn.php

8/02/2008 10:29 LAGOS, Feb 18 (AFP)
Nigerian varsity strike over colleagues sacked 14 yrs ago

Nigerian university lecturers began a week-long strike Monday to protest the government's failure to reinstate dozens of colleagues sacked 14 years ago, a union leader said.

The 49 lecturers from the University of Ilorin in central Nigeria were dismissed by the military regime of General Sani Abacha in 1994 for participating in a general strike. Last year, the new civilian government of President Umaru Yar'Adua promised to reinstate them.

"We are surprised that up till now, nothing has been done about their reinstatement," said Abdullahi Sule-Kano, president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

He said if the government did not reinstate the lecturers before the end of what is being described as a "warning strike", the union would meet to decide on its next course of action.