…ASUU members invade UNIBEN lecture halls
BY TEDDY NWANUNOBI
As members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarked on their two-week warning strike on Monday in defiance of the Federal Government’s invocation of ‘No work, no pay’ policy, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has backed the striking university lecturers, warning the Federal Government to stop intimidating the ASUU members.
This was even as chaos erupted at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) on Monday as ASUU members of the University of Benin chapter stormed various examination halls, and forced an immediate halt to all ongoing examinations.
NLC, in a statement signed on Monday by its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said the two-week warning strike declared by ASUU was a legitimate and necessary response to the government’s persistent failure to honour collective agreements.
Ajaero said the Federal Government’s refusal to implement voluntarily signed agreements with lecturers and other workers in the education sector has continued to undermine public universities.
“The commencement of a two-week warning strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is a direct consequence of the Federal Government’s refusal to honour collectively bargained agreements. This action is a necessary response to the neglect of a fundamental pillar of our society,” NLC said.
He faulted the government’s ‘No work, no pay’ moves, insisting that it misrepresents the real situation. The breach of contract lies with the state, not the scholars.
“The lecturers are willing to work, but the government, by reneging on its commitments, has made it impossible for them to do so with the dignity and conditions their profession deserves,” Ajaero said.
The congress said the ongoing struggle transcends an industrial dispute, arguing that it exposes deeper inequalities within Nigeria’s education system.
It noted that while the children of the elite attend private or foreign institutions, those of ordinary citizens are left in an underfunded public system.
“This creates an educational divide that limits social mobility and perpetuates inequality,” the NLC noted, adding that an educated populace remains essential for national progress.
The NLC reaffirmed its solidarity with ASUU and other unions in the tertiary education sector, calling on the Federal Government to immediately address the core issues raised in the agreements.
It also warned that the Congress would convene an emergency meeting with its affiliates if the government fails to respond after the two-week strike.
“The struggle of ASUU is our struggle. The fight for public education is a fight for Nigeria’s future. We will no longer allow these unions to stand alone,” the statement concluded.
The chaos in UNIBEN followed the national directive of the union to commence a two-week warning strike effective immediately.
Students who were in the middle of their semester examinations were left stranded and confused as lecturers abruptly stopped the process and walked out of the venues.
One of the affected students, who spoke to the media under the condition of anonymity, said the development threw the campus into worry.
“Every exam in the faculty has been cancelled. No more exams till after two weeks. UNIBEN ASUU has mobilised its members to disrupt any ongoing exams. A two-week strike was activated with immediate effect in UNIBEN,” the student said.
The national body of ASUU had earlier announced the commencement of a two-week warning strike to protest the Nigerian government’s alleged failure to honour previous agreements on funding, earned allowances, and implementation of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).
In UNIBEN, it was gathered that the local ASUU leadership promptly implemented the directive, sending messages to department heads and invigilators to vacate exam halls.
Some non-academic staff members also reportedly joined the disruption in solidarity, locking certain faculties and preventing any form of academic activity.
ASUU has commenced a two-week warning strike. But the Federal Government, immediately, directed vice-chancellors of federal universities across the country to strictly enforce the ‘no work, no pay’ policy against members of ASUU currently participating in the ongoing nationwide strike.
The directive was contained in a circular dated October 13, 2025, and co-signed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmed.
The circular was copied to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Permanent Secretary of Education, Pro-Chancellors of all federal universities, Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
It accused ASUU of abandoning dialogue despite what they described as the government’s “sincere and consistent efforts” to address the lecturers’ demands.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria has called on the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to reconsider its decision to embark on an industrial strike, emphasising that constructive dialogue remains the most effective and sustainable path toward resolving all outstanding issues in the tertiary education sector,” it read.