ASUU Raises Alarm Over Arrest of ABU Lecturer, Faults Katsina Govt
By Fahad Faruk Galadanchi
The Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU ,Sokoto Zone, has expressed concern over the arrest and arraignment of Dr. Kurfi of Ahmadu Bello University ABU Zaria, accusing the Katsina State Government of using state security apparatus to intimidate academics over their views on insecurity.
The union’s Zonal Chairman, Professor Abubakar Sabo Yabo, raised the concern while addressing journalists in Sokoto, alleging that the Department of State Services DSS arrested Dr. Kurfi on the instructions of the Katsina State Government following his comments on the state’s security challenges.
Yabo described the incident as disturbing, saying it had raised serious questions about the government’s priorities at a time when residents were grappling with security threats and other socioeconomic difficulties.
He warned that actions capable of silencing critical voices could further deepen public anxiety in a country already traumatised by insecurity, rather than contribute to finding lasting solutions.
While acknowledging the importance of upholding the rule of law, the ASUU chairman stressed that legal provisions must not be used as instruments of intimidation against individuals exercising their constitutional rights.
He maintained that deploying security agencies against an academic for expressing concerns about insecurity amounted to a threat to freedom of expression and academic freedom.
Yabo therefore urged the Katsina State Government to prioritise measures to tackle the state’s security, economic and social challenges instead of engaging in actions that could be perceived as attempts to suppress dissenting opinions.
He also appealed to the relevant security agencies and the judiciary to ensure that Dr. Kurfi receives fair and impartial treatment, emphasising the need for strict adherence to due process throughout the legal proceedings.
“Let it be on record that Nigerians are watching as the legal processes take place. Justice to one is justice to all, while injustice to one is injustice to all,” Yabo said.
The union warned that it would not stand by while its members were allegedly harassed under the pretext of law enforcement, reiterating its commitment to defending the rights and welfare of academics.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Katsina State Government on the allegations were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
