University workers under the aegis of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) yesterday staged a peaceful protest over what they called threat to staff primary schools.

Western zone of SSANU comprising universities in that axis, staged the protest in reaction to a March 5, 2015, circular allegedly issued by the Federal Ministry of Education to universities to remove staff schools' from their payrolls. The association said the move was to privatize the primary schools and lay off staff who they said are part of the university organ. They vowed to shut down universities if the decision is not reviewed.

The workers also demanded the sack of Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, saying he has overstayed. They carried placards with inscriptions such as: "SSANU says job security is our right, we shall defend it; Enough of retrogressive policies in universities; No to privatization of university staff schools; Federal Government should not throw universities into needless crisis; Professor Julius Okojie must go" among others. Addressing SSANU members of the University of Ilorin chapter, after a peaceful protest held at the main campus, SSANU Western Zone Vice President, Mr Alfred Jimoh, said "anyone who dares us would have himself to blame."

He said the 2009 agreement reached with the Federal Government should not be tampered with, adding that attempts to manipulate or misinterpret the agreement would be vehemently resisted.