Members of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Warri Zone, on Wednesday shut down the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE), Delta State, demanding the immediate removal of Vice Chancellor Professor Ezekiel Agbalagba over alleged intimidation and abuse of power.
The protesters arrived at the university’s main entrance by 6:00 a.m., blocking access with petrol tankers and heavy-duty trucks while chanting solidarity songs. They carried placards with inscriptions including: “Prof. Ezekiel O. Agbalagba Must Go,” “No to Divide and Rule,” “No to Victimisation,” “No to Intimidation,” “Earned Allowance Is Our Legitimate Right,” and “Prof. Agbalagba Cannot Teach Us Unionism.”
The protest was triggered by a circular issued by the university management on Monday, July 21, which the unions alleged portrayed their members as security threats and called for the deployment of armed security personnel against them. The memo, referenced VC/STAF&STDS/25/VOL1 and titled “Security Alert and Caution to All Staff and Students,” was personally signed by the Vice Chancellor.
Describing the directive as “disgraceful, dangerous, and a clear abuse of power,” the unions accused Prof. Agbalagba of employing “archaic, repressive, and provocative” tactics to suppress constitutionally guaranteed union activities.
“Our right to peaceful protest and freedom of association cannot be suppressed,” the unions declared. “This action is not only unacceptable but also an affront to the labour movement in Nigeria. Should this persist, we will have no choice but to escalate the matter into a nationwide industrial action.”
The unions further warned the university administration against any attempts to intimidate their members, stressing that no amount of threats or coercion would deter them from demanding accountability and fairness.
As of the time of filing this report, the General Secretaries of NUPENG and PENGASSAN, Afolabi Olawale and Lumumba Okugbawa respectively, had yet to make formal statements to the press.
It is recalled that in the same circular, Prof. Agbalagba warned: “Be advised that the University Management will not tolerate any action that will jeopardise the peaceful academic environment or undermine the significant achievement of the Visitor, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR)’s administration in maintaining an uninterrupted academic calendar across Nigerian universities.”
The situation at FUPRE remains tense as the unions vow to sustain their protest until their demands are met.
