The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has protested the widespread victimisation of its members across Nigerian universities, with a focus on institutions such as Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Kogi State University (KSU), and Lagos State University (LASU). Lecturers have been subjected to wrongful dismissals, intimidation, and denied legal entitlements, the union claims.
During a solidarity march in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, on Monday, ASUU-Calabar Zone, which includes universities such as University of Calabar, Akwa Ibom State University, and University of Uyo, condemned the mistreatment of their colleagues. The protest was organised in response to continued neglect of the welfare of university lecturers. According to a statement signed by union representatives, many lecturers are owed months of back pay, while others face prosecution for voicing concerns over deteriorating work conditions.
The protest, now dubbed “Victimised Lecturers’ Day,” revealed that over 120 lecturers from Kogi State University have been dismissed for over seven years for participating in legitimate industrial actions. Four of these lecturers have since passed away due to the ongoing hardship and lack of support, a tragedy that ASUU has mourned deeply. The union is calling for the immediate reinstatement of these dismissed lecturers, in accordance with the White Paper issued by the Visitation Panel to KSU.
ASUU leaders condemned what they describe as the “private enterprise” management style adopted by university administrations and called for urgent intervention by government authorities to restore order and peace. They demanded that their members be reinstated and that university governance follow due process and legal procedures in the treatment of academic staff.
