ASUU: State varsities in Plateau, Edo, Ondo, others begin strike
By Dayo Johnson, Adesina Wahab, Ozioruva Aliu & Golok Nanmwa
Academic activities have been disrupted in several state-owned universities across the country following the commencement of industrial action by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over the non-implementation of provisions of the 2009 Re-negotiated Agreement.
Checks by Vanguard on Wednesday showed that lecturers in several affected institutions complied with the directive of the union’s national leadership to withdraw their services.
The affected universities include Nasarawa State University; Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai; Gombe State University; Plateau State University; Kaduna State University; Kano State University of Science and Technology; Northwest University; and Taraba State University.
Others are the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo; Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko; Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology; and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education.
The list also includes Abia State University; University of Education and Entrepreneurship, Akamkpa; Enugu State University of Science and Technology; Imo State University; Niger Delta University; University of Africa, Toru-Orua; and Bayelsa Medical University.
AAUA ASUU: No Going Back
At Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, the branch of ASUU said it would not suspend the strike until the state government commenced implementation of the agreement and paid outstanding arrears dating back to January 2026.
The branch chairman, Prof. Bolu Oshodi, said the union was demanding immediate implementation of the new salary structure, which took effect in January 2026.
Oshodi said federal universities and some state-owned institutions, including Ekiti State University (EKSU), Benue State University (BSU), Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) and Kwara State University (KWASU), had commenced implementation of the new package.
The state government had subsequently indicated its willingness to implement the agreement, although the proposed payment would not cover all the outstanding arrears, according to the union.
Oshodi said the branch would only suspend the strike after receiving payment of the implementation and arrears in its members’ bank accounts.
“We will call off the strike when we receive alert in our bank accounts. Alert of the implementation and the arrears starting from January, that is when we will suspend the strike,” he said.
He explained that the branch’s position was in line with the directive of the union’s national body, which directed that implementation of the agreement should commence immediately and that arrears owed to workers from January should also be paid.
According to him, the union interprets “immediate” implementation to mean that outstanding obligations dating back to January should be settled.
“The issue now is that the mandate from the national body is that the implementation should commence immediately and the arrears from January should be paid,” Oshodi said.
PLASU ASUU Declares Indefinite Strike
At Plateau State University, Bokkos (PLASU), ASUU members declared a total and indefinite strike over what they described as the failure of the university management to satisfactorily address their six-point charter of demands.
In a statement signed by the branch chairperson, Vincent D. Choji, and Secretary, Lomka Iliya Kopdiya, and made available on Wednesday, the union said its demands remained unresolved despite the expiration of an ultimatum issued to the authorities.
The demands include commencement of the Contributory Pension Scheme, full implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement and payment of arrears from January 1, 2026.
Others include the provision of safe and secure staff quarters, construction of trenches around the university’s perimeter fence and an end to what the union described as intimidation of its leaders.
The union also demanded payment of 22 months’ arrears of the 25/35 per cent wage award.
Academic Activities Grounded at AAU
Academic activities were also disrupted at Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State, on Wednesday as ASUU members commenced an indefinite strike over the non-implementation of the agreement reached by the union’s national leadership.
Students who spoke to Vanguard said only lecturers with administrative or other official engagements were seen on campus, while most lecturers’ offices remained closed.
The university’s Public Relations Officer, Otunba Mike Aladenika, confirmed that the institution’s management was at the Edo State Government House for a meeting with Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The university’s ASUU branch had, two days earlier, announced the commencement of the strike following a congress meeting.
In a statement signed by the branch chairman and secretary, Dr Cyril Onogbosele and Dr William Odion, respectively, the union cited the non-implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement and failure to pay accrued arrears of allowances under the agreement from January 2026.
The union said the decision followed the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the university authorities and Edo State Government.
“Having failed to implement the Agreement within the 14-day ultimatum in addition to unsuccessful efforts by the Branch to make the University authorities and Edo State Government to implement the Agreement, Congress resolved and directed members to embark on a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike with effect from Tuesday, 25th August, 2026 at 12.01am,” the statement said.
The branch said the industrial action covered the withdrawal of statutory services by members, including teaching and lecturing, conduct and invigilation of examinations, statutory meetings, and supervision of students’ research projects, Industrial Training and Teaching Practice.
The congress also mandated the branch executive to activate its strike monitoring team and directed members to comply with the resolutions.
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