Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Campaign for Democratic and Workers' Rights has launched a blistering attack on the Imo State Government, condemning the arrest and detention of two leaders of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Imo State University (IMSU) branch, over the ongoing strike by lecturers. The organisation described the arrests as an assault on workers' rights, academic freedom and democracy, warning that the government's action represents a dangerous step towards the criminalisation of legitimate industrial action.
In a statement issued on August 16, 2026, and signed by its National Chairperson, Comrade Rufus Olusesan, and National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Chinedu Bosah, CDWR disclosed that Comrade Chinedu Egbuchu, Vice Chairman of ASUU-IMSU, and Comrade Nnamdi Chubo, the branch's Investment Secretary, were arrested and detained by police officers in Owerri on August 12, 2026. The arrests were directly linked to the lecturers' ongoing industrial action, which was declared over unresolved issues relating to staff welfare, funding of public education and the sustainability of the university system.
The organisation condemned the arrests, describing them as a direct assault on democracy, academic freedom, and the fundamental right of workers to organise and embark on strike and protest in defence of their rights and interests. "A strike is a constitutionally guaranteed and inalienable right, not a crime," CDWR declared. "To respond to the demands of lecturers with police brutality is to show contempt for education, for dialogue, and for the future of public universities in Imo State."
CDWR argued that the government should address the issues behind the industrial action rather than resort to the use of security agencies. The organisation warned that treating academics and teachers as adversaries could have wider consequences for the country's education sector. "This is a dangerous step for the future of our country given the fact that no society can develop when it treats its teachers and intellectuals as enemies of the state," it said.
The organisation commended the national, zonal and branch leadership of ASUU for intervening in the matter and securing the release of the two union leaders. It also called on the Nigeria Police Force to end what it described as harassment of ASUU members. CDWR urged the Imo State Government, led by Governor Hope Uzodimma, to engage the university lecturers and work towards resolving their grievances. "We call on Mr Hope Uzodimma-led Imo State Government to demonstrate a serious and sincere commitment by urgently engaging ASUU-IMSU with a view to meeting their demands and improving the standard of education at all levels," the organisation said.
The dispute, which affects not only lecturers but also students, parents and other stakeholders who depend on the public education system, has drawn attention to the broader implications of the crisis. CDWR expressed solidarity with ASUU-IMSU and other workers seeking better working conditions and urged students, parents, civil society organisations and labour unions to support the lecturers' demands. "An attack on ASUU is an attack on education. An attack on education is an attack on the future of our children," the organisation warned.
The arrests of the two ASUU-IMSU leaders came in the wake of the union's declaration of an indefinite strike at Imo State University, following the failure of the Imo State Government to honour agreements reached with the union. The strike, which has effectively shut down academic activities at the institution, is part of a broader industrial action by ASUU chapters in federal and state universities across the country. The union had authorised its branches in several universities to issue ultimatums over the non-implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement.
The arrest of ASUU leaders over strike action is not a new phenomenon in Nigeria. In 2023, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had accused Governor Hope Uzodimma of conspiring with the state's Commissioner of Police to arrest its president, Joe Ajaero. The pattern of arresting union leaders over industrial disputes has drawn criticism from human rights groups and labour organisations, who argue that it violates workers' rights and undermines the principles of collective bargaining.
The Imo State Government has not officially responded to the CDWR's condemnation of the arrests. However, the government has previously taken a hardline stance against industrial action in the state, arguing that strikes disrupt academic calendars and harm students. The government has also accused union leaders of politicising the strike and refusing to engage in meaningful dialogue.
As the strike continues and the government faces mounting pressure to resolve the dispute, the fate of academic activities at Imo State University hangs in the balance. The CDWR's warning that the arrests represent a dangerous precedent for the future of education in Imo State has resonated with many Nigerians who fear that the criminalisation of union activities could have far-reaching consequences for the country's democracy. For now, the battle over the right to strike and the future of public education in Imo State continues, with the two ASUU leaders released but the underlying grievances yet to be resolved.
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