KEY POINTS

• ASUP orders academic staff off Federal Polytechnic Offa campus.
• Council says meetings were moved because of security risks.
• Union accuses management of hiding security concerns from staff and students.

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Federal Polytechnic Offa Chapter, has directed all academic staff of the institution to immediately withdraw their services and stay away from campus, citing serious concerns over the safety of staff and students.

The directive came after the institution’s Governing Council disclosed that it had moved its meetings away from the Polytechnic premises because of prevailing security concerns in Offa and the surrounding area.

The Governing Council said its decision to hold some meetings outside the Federal Polytechnic Offa, including a scheduled meeting in Ilorin, was driven by security considerations and had been approved by the Federal Ministry of Education.

In a statement signed by Olayinka Iroye, Head of Information and Public Relations, the council said the arrangement was not a unilateral decision by the Polytechnic’s management and did not violate institutional procedures.

The council said the Minister of Education had expressly authorised it to convene at suitable locations outside the Polytechnic through a letter referenced FME/PE&AI/DEPT/120/C.1/III/212.

It explained that the decision followed concerns over the safety of council members and other participants, particularly because members travel from different parts of Nigeria to attend meetings.

According to the council, meetings often continue late into the night because of the volume and importance of issues under consideration.

It said travelling between Offa and other locations after such meetings had become unsafe in light of the prevailing security situation.

Kidnapping concerns cited

The council said Federal Polytechnic Offa is located within Kwara South, an area that has experienced security challenges, including kidnapping and other criminal activities.

It said Ilorin was selected as an alternative meeting location because of security, accessibility and logistical considerations.

The council stressed that the arrangement was temporary and would be reviewed as circumstances improve.

It also rejected suggestions that moving its meetings outside the Polytechnic was intended to undermine the institution, bypass established procedures or disregard the Polytechnic community.

The council urged staff and other stakeholders to remain calm, saying it remained committed to the development of the institution and peaceful relations with recognised unions.

ASUP, however, said the council’s explanation had created a more serious security concern for staff.

The union said it was not previously aware of any security assessment or report declaring Federal Polytechnic Offa or the Offa community unsafe.

ASUP described the disclosure as alarming and questioned why staff and students had allegedly not been informed if the management and Governing Council had received information suggesting that the area was unsafe.