Law Students Association of Nigeria has dragged the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), before the Federal High Court Abuja, challenging what it described as the incessant strikes of the union.
In the suit which was filed at the court on Friday, the association is seekingĀ an order to compel ASUU to returnĀ to the classroom as well as an order of perpetual injunction to restrainĀ ASUUĀ from embarking on further strikes.
The suit which was filed by the President of the association, Mr Blessing Agbomhere on behalf of his members is also asking the court to compel ASUU to pay N10 billion compensation to Nigerian students.
This, the association claims is for allegedly infringingĀ on the right of the students to education asĀ Ā guaranteedĀ Ā by Section 18 of the 1999 Constitution and ArticleĀ 17 ofĀ AfricanĀ Charter on HumanĀ and Peoples Rights.
The associationĀ isĀ further asking the courtĀ to orderĀ ASUU to pay damagesĀ to all NigerianĀ studentsĀ for theĀ psychological andĀ emotional torture metted out to them as well asĀ Ā the loss of valuableĀ timeĀ followingĀ the continuousĀ strike.
Speaking to newsmen, Agbomwere said that the suit was sequel to its findings that ASUU members had beenĀ short- changing the Federal GovernmentĀ byĀ teachingĀ in more than one university.
He said itās investigations also revealed that members of the union were engagingĀ in consultancy services in oil companies and collecting multipleĀ salaries at the detrimentĀ of the Nigerian students.
Apart from ASUU, the association also joined Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi,
ASUU President, the Minister for Education, the Minister for Labour
and Employment, the Attorney-General of FederationĀ and the Federal Government as 2nd to 6th defendants in the suit.
The association is seeking among other reliefs, a declaration the strike of the union is a breech of the right of members of the association to education.
āA declaration that the indefinite strike embarked upon by the 1st and 2nd defendants since March 2020, leading to the closure of government owned universities, which has detrimentally and negatively impacted on plaintiffās learning and the smooth operation of academic calendar of universities, is a brazen infraction of the plaintiffās right to education.
āAn order of mandatory injunction compelling the 1st and 2nd defendants to call off the strike and return to the status quo ante bellumĀ whilst negotiation for amicable resolution of the issues in contention or among the defendants is ongoing.
āAn order of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd defendants whether by themselves, servants, agents and/or privies from further declaring or embarking on indefinite and incessant strikes.ā
The students are also seeking an order directing the 3rd to 6th defendants to re-open government owned universities and to honour their contractual agreements with the 1st and 2nd defendants in the overall interest of the plaintiff.
The students are also asking the court to award the sum of N10 billion against the union.
āThis is to serve as general and exemplary damages for the loss of valuable time, opportunity, mental torture, psychological anguish and general deprivationĀ which the plaintiff has suffered or is likely to be exposed to on graduation.ā
In his statement of claim, Agbomwere said that he is a Nigerian citizen, a final year law student of Baze University and currently the President of the Law Students Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN).