Laleye Dipo in Minna

The two-week warning strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in demand for improved conditions of service among other demands has taken its toll on the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna and the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai resulting in the suspension of all academic activities on the two campuses.

However, the new Abdulkhadir Kure University in Minna has not joined the strike because the institution presently has no functional ASUU branch.

At both the FUT Minna and IBBU Lapai, the sessional examinations, which started across all departments over a week ago, were stopped resulting in students loitering around the campuses or returning to their halls of residences.

The ASUU Chairman at FUT, Prof. Lukeman Oyewobi and his counterpart at IBBU, Dr Galadima Bala, confirmed the industrial action by the union to THISDAY.

They chorused that it is a national directive that all lecturers must obey.

Oyewobi however said that there is no rival union or faction of ASUU in the FUT, adding: “We all belong to ASUU.”

On his part, Bala defended the decision of the state university to join the strike, saying: “We will benefit most when our demands are met” adding that: “We will not need to make fresh demands on the government for improved conditions of service.”

It was learnt that NASU members were on Monday meeting on the FUT Minna campus ahead of the ultimatum given to the government which will lapse next Monday. 

​