The Sokoto zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has voiced deep concerns over what it describes as the victimization of lecturers by some university vice-chancellors, warning that this could disrupt the fragile peace in Nigeria’s higher education system.
The Coordinator of the zone comprising the Usmanu Danfodiyo University (UDUS}, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University (UMYU), Sokoto State University (SUU), Federal University Dutsinma (FUDMA), Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUBK), Federal University Gusau (FUG), Kebbi State University of Science and Technology Aliero (KSUSTA), Sokoto State University of Education (SSUE), and the Federal University of Agriculture Zuru (FUZ), Prof. Abubakar Sabo stated this while addressing a press conference at the NUJ Press Centre in Sokoto on Saturday.
ASUU’s frustration stems from the government’s failure to implement the Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed in 2022, after a long and painful strike.
ASUU accused certain vice-chancellors of acting like “tyrants,” working hand-in-hand with university governing councils to punish lecturers instead of addressing the core issues that led to the strike. These unresolved issues include renegotiating the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, paying withheld salaries, and adopting the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as an alternative to the controversial IPPIS system.
ASUU expressed its deep disappointment, saying that instead of fostering dialogue and resolving these legitimate grievances, some universities have turned to retaliation.
According to the union, the dismissal of 120 lecturers from Kogi State University in 2017 is one glaring example of this unjust punishment, adding that lecturers at several other universities, including Lagos State University and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, have faced salary cuts, denial of promotions, and other punitive measures.
“The government, together with some state university visitors and tyrannical vice-chancellors, has chosen to victimize our members emotionally, rather than uphold academic integrity,” ASUU lamented, accusing university administrations of destroying the very system they are meant to protect.
The case of the Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA) in Katsina State is a particularly painful one for ASUU. The union condemned the dismissal of lecturer Shehu Tadda, along with the unjust suspension of Dr. Aondoaka Asambe, whose reinstatement had already been ordered by the court. ASUU described these actions as not only arrogant but a gross abuse of power by university administrators.
ASUU warned that if such victimization continues, it could further destabilize Nigeria’s already fragile university system. The union called on universities to uphold academic freedom and treat their staff with dignity, urging the Federal Government to fulfil the promises it made to the education sector.
“The survival of this nation is tied to the survival of its public universities,” ASUU stressed. “Let them breathe, Mr. President!”
ASUU concluded by urging the government to prioritize the well-being of university staff and provide adequate funding to create a conducive learning environment, especially considering the economic difficulties facing the country.
