Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Benue State University Branch (ASUU‑BSU), has declared an indefinite, total and comprehensive strike action over what it described as the persistent failure of the university administration and the Benue State Government to address a litany of outstanding welfare and governance issues. The strike, which took effect immediately after a congress meeting on Monday, 1 June 2026, has grounded academic activities at the Makurdi‑based institution, leaving thousands of students stranded and casting a fresh shadow over the state’s tertiary education sector.
In a joint statement signed by the branch’s chairperson, Dr Ali Sule Ako, and secretary, Prof. Daniel Chile, the union listed the non‑payment of pension and gratuity to retired staff, irregular remittance of pension contributions and unpaid promotion arrears dating back to 2018 as key grievances. The union also cited the absence of an effective health insurance scheme for workers, incomplete implementation of the Consequential Adjustment to Academic Salaries (CATA) agreement, and the accumulation of about 22 months of 25 and 35 per cent wage award arrears. According to the union, the authorities had only hurriedly paid five months of wage award arrears after learning of the union’s plan to embark on industrial action.
Beyond financial issues, the union condemned the rejection of the Senate‑nominated candidate for the position of Deputy Vice‑Chancellor (Academic), Professor Ebute Agaba, without any stated reason. “The subsequent directive for another election, which produced a different candidate, undermines due process, university autonomy, and democratic governance within the institution,” the ASUU‑BSU communique stated. The union accused the university administration of resorting to isolated and uncoordinated payments without any negotiated framework, and insisted that the authorities had failed to engage the union through a formal Memorandum of Understanding or Memorandum of Action containing clear commitments and implementation timelines.
ASUU‑BSU further expressed concern over what it described as excessive taxation that has reduced staff earnings, citing the abandonment of a 2017 agreement on the applicable tax regime for university workers. The union also decried the irregular remittance of pension contributions, noting that the contributory pension scheme introduced in 2020 had been plagued by inconsistent employer contributions. “The failure of Government to consistently provide counterpart funding has created uncertainty and concern among staff, with no satisfactory resolution in sight,” the statement read.
The union lamented that many retired staff members had remained unpaid for years after retirement, and that some had died without ever receiving their entitlements. “The Union considers this situation unacceptable and contrary to the principles of fairness and social justice,” the communique stated. “The welfare of staff, the integrity of university governance and the future of BSU cannot continue to be subjected to endless promises and unfulfilled commitments.”
The strike decision followed years of sustained engagement with the university administration, the Governing Council and the Benue State Government, including interventions by the ASUU zone and the National Executive Council (NEC). In a meeting in Yola, the NEC had reviewed the branch’s grievances, found merit in them, and initiated a fact‑finding and intervention process that included a visit to the university. However, the union alleged that the Benue State Government and the university authorities had failed to implement any binding agreement, leaving the lecturers with no option but to down tools.
As of the time of filing this report, the Benue State Government had not issued an official response to the strike action. However, ASUU‑BSU has made it clear that the indefinite strike will remain in force until substantial progress is made and binding agreements are reached on all the issues in dispute. “Consequently, ASUU‑BSU has commenced an indefinite, total and comprehensive strike action, which shall remain in force until substantial progress is made and binding agreements are reached on the issues in dispute,” the union stated. The indefinite nature of the strike means that no academic activities will take place at the university for the foreseeable future, potentially disrupting the academic calendar and leaving students in limbo.
The strike at Benue State University is the latest in a series of industrial actions that have plagued Nigeria’s public universities, reflecting a national crisis of underfunding, poor remuneration and persistent governance disputes. The federal and state governments have repeatedly promised to address the welfare of university staff, but lecturers across the country have accused authorities of reneging on agreements and making piecemeal payments without a comprehensive framework. For the students of Benue State University, the strike is a painful reminder that the path to a degree is often littered not only with academic challenges but also with the politics of unpaid salaries and broken promises.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com
📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News
🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew
📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments