Wike Dismisses ASUU Strike Threat Over UniAbuja Land Reallocation

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the strike threat by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Abuja (UniAbuja) chapter, over the reallocation of portions of the institution’s land to private developers and government agencies.

Wike, who spoke on Thursday during his monthly media chat in Port Harcourt, questioned the union’s authority to challenge land allocation decisions, insisting that land administration in the FCT falls within the statutory jurisdiction of the FCT Administration (FCTA).

He rejected allegations of land grabbing by the administration, arguing that ASUU had no legal authority to determine how government-owned land within the territory should be allocated or managed.

“What is the business of ASUU on our land? How is ASUU the owner of land? Is ASUU the owner of the union in Nigeria now? Is it the union’s right?” the minister queried.

Addressing concerns over the institution’s landholding, reportedly covering more than 11,000 hectares, Wike questioned the justification for allowing a single university to retain such an extensive parcel of land, particularly where portions remained undeveloped.

He maintained that the FCTA’s actions were consistent with government policies on land administration, urban planning and the enforcement of the Abuja Master Plan.

Reacting to ASUU’s threat to embark on industrial action and challenge the land reallocation in court, the minister said the administration would not be intimidated by either legal proceedings or threats of a strike.

He declared that the FCTA was prepared to defend its actions in court, should the union proceed with its planned legal challenge.

Wike also criticised the union’s leadership for allegedly resorting to strike threats to pressure the government, urging it to follow established procedures rather than use industrial action as a bargaining tool.

The minister further insisted that the recovery and reallocation of unused land would continue, stressing that federal institutions could not lay claim to thousands of hectares indefinitely without demonstrating proper documentation, approvals and utilisation.

The latest confrontation followed a press conference by ASUU-UniAbuja Chairman, Dr Sylvanus Ugoh, who warned that the union could no longer guarantee industrial harmony at the institution if the FCT minister failed to reverse the allocation of portions of its designated land in the Giri District.

The union maintained that the 11,824 hectares originally allocated to the university were necessary for its long-term expansion, agricultural research, infrastructure development and other academic programmes.

However, Wike maintained that the FCTA would not succumb to pressure, reiterating that all land allocations within the FCT remained subject to the regulatory authority of the administration.