Over 200 Academics Left KASU Over Poor Conditions — ASUU

More than 200 professors and other academic staff have left Kaduna State University (KASU) over poor working conditions and the non-implementation of the 2025 Federal Government–Academic Staff Union of Universities (FGN-ASUU) agreement, the university’s ASUU chapter has alleged.

The union has issued a two-week ultimatum to the university authorities and other relevant stakeholders to begin full implementation and domestication of the agreement, warning that failure to act could trigger a total and indefinite strike.

The ASUU-KASU Chairman, Abubakar Abdullahi, issued the ultimatum on Monday at a press conference at the union’s secretariat in Kaduna.

Abdullahi said the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement, which provides for improved conditions of service for university academics, took effect in January 2026 but had yet to be implemented at KASU.

According to him, the union had written to the university management, Governing Council, Visitor to the university and the Kaduna State Governor, urging them to domesticate and implement the agreement in line with the law establishing the institution.

He said the union had also engaged stakeholders within and outside the state to resolve the matter and prevent industrial unrest.

However, Abdullahi said eight months after the agreement was signed, KASU had yet to commence implementation, while several federal and state universities had either implemented the agreement or announced timelines for doing so, including payment of accrued arrears.

He said the delay had left KASU academics among the least-paid university workers in the country, despite the institution’s previous reputation for prioritising staff welfare.

The ASUU chairman warned that continued delay would result in the accumulation of salary arrears dating back to January 2026.

He also attributed the departure of more than 200 experienced academics, including professors and other lecturers, to poor conditions of service, warning that replacing the lost expertise could take years.

Abdullahi said the union’s Congress, at a meeting on August 12, resolved to declare an industrial dispute and embark on a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike, in line with the resolution of ASUU’s National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Abuja on August 8 and 9.

He explained that the two-week ultimatum was issued in accordance with procedures governing industrial disputes and was intended to give the authorities an opportunity to address the union’s demands.

Beyond the national agreement, ASUU-KASU identified several outstanding issues affecting its members, including university autonomy, excessive workload, promotion arrears, death benefits, group life insurance, the 25 and 35 per cent wage awards and pension remittances.

The union urged the university management and other authorities to urgently address the issues to avert industrial action and preserve stability at the institution.

It also appealed to parents, stakeholders and well-meaning Nigerians to intervene in the dispute and help prevent the threatened strike.