JAF CLAIMS PROF FESTUS IYAYI'S DEATH WAS MASTERMINDED BY GOVT BECAUSE OF ASUU STRIKE...HOW TRUE?...AND WHAT IMPACT ON END TO STRIKE?

[caption id="attachment_24391" align="alignleft" width="284"] Festus-Iyayi[/caption]

The Joint Action Front (JAF) has accused the government of master-minding the killing of former president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof Festus Iyayi who died recently in a motor accident involving the convoy of Kogi State governor.

Several people and organized bodies have commented on the death of Iyayi. President Goodluck Jonathan has commiserated with ASUU and Iyayi’s Family. Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon also made his own “interesting” comment. The Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Youths and Student Affairs, Mr. Jude Imagwe, also described as unfair and untrue, allegations that the Federal Government killed the late former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Prof. Festus Iyayi.

JAF in a statement signed by its president, Comrade Abiodun Aremu said the death of the veteran unionist was questionable.

They said “JAF wishes to alert Nigerians and the international community that Comrade Festus Iyayi was murdered by operatives of the Nigerian state, contrary to the widely reported claims that he died in the bus accident of November 12, 2013 along Lokoja – Abuja road due to the recklessness of the Kogi State governor’s convoy.

“JAF has every reason to believe that the murder of Comrade Iyayi was connected with the on-going Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike to compel the federal government to, not only honour the Collective Agreements it reached with it in 2009, but also to make government responsible to adequately fund public education against the dictates of its puppeteers – the IMF and World Bank.

“ We strongly believe that the assassination of Comrade Iyayi was carried out by expert shooters in the cover of the Nigerian Intelligence, reminiscence of the state murder of Dele Giwa in 1986 and Kudirat Abiola in 1996”, the statement said.

JAF said official explanation by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and the Sole Administrator of the Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, Dr Paul Amodu that Comrade Iyayi’s death was as a result of the accident, did not explain the piercing of his heart by a strange object.

JAF added that Iyayi’s death is a wakeup call to all Nigerians to struggle for a better society where people’s lives are respected and preserved.