The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) and Bauchi State University, Gadau, chapters of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Sunday criticized the alleged detention of the ATBU chapter chairman, Dr Adamu Babayo, by the Department of State Services (DSS). The Vice Chairman of the association, Dr Ibrahim Maina, who made this known at a joint press conference on Sunday in Bauchi, condemned the action.
Maina alleged that Babayo was detained by the DSS operatives on Sunday, when he was invited to the department’s headquarters in Bauchi. According to him the action was a violation of fundamental human rights and requested the DSS to explain the reasons behind the arrest. He said: “the ASUU Chairman, Adamu Babayo was invited through a Short Service Message (SMS) which is not a formal way of invitation.
“On Friday he received a text message requesting him to report to the DSS office in Bauchi on Sunday. He went to the office together with some of the executives of the association. “The DSS operatives requested other members of his entourage to leave and detained him in their office.
“Let them explain to us why he was detained. That will give us the idea of what needs to be done. “If the detention is in connection with the ongoing strike; it is a nationwide strike embarked on by the universities in the country and not a peculiar or personal problem.
“What wrong have we done by pressing for our rights through the strike,” NAN quoted him as saying.
However, a DSS official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to NAN, denied the allegation.
He insisted that Babayo was not detained but was invited to answer some questions.
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