Kebbi Varsity’s Academic Staff Union Seeks Action Over Unmet Demands

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at the Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUBK) has expressed deep concern over the ongoing impasse between the union and the federal government over several outstanding issues affecting the nation’s public universities.

In a press release made available to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi yesterday, signed by the branch chairman, Dr. Abdulrahmam Bashir, ASUU FUBK stated that the union had declared a two-week comprehensive warning strike starting from October 13, 2025, to press home its demands, including the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, release of withheld salaries, sustainable funding of public universities, and revitalization of public institutions, among others.

The strike was suspended on October 22, 2025, following a meeting between government officials and union leaders, with an agreement to resolve the lingering issues within a one-month window. Unfortunately, the one-month window period is about to elapse, and the government has not met very crucial demands of the Union.

“Instead, the government has been making piecemeal gestures that do not address the root causes of the problems,” the statement read.

The union emphasised that investing in education is crucial for Nigeria’s future and that the government must prioritize education as a social responsibility, not a commercial venture.

“The union is particularly concerned about the poor state of university infrastructure, inadequate funding, and the brain drain affecting the nation’s universities,” the statement added.

It said the proposed salary increment is inadequate and does not address the long-standing issues affecting academics.

ASUU FUBK called on the federal government to use the remaining days of the one-month window to address the outstanding issues and avoid another nationwide university shutdown.

The union urged traditional rulers, civil society groups, students, and labour unions to pressure the government to resolve the dispute and ensure lecturers are paid a living wage.

“We condemn the government’s attempts to misrepresent partial payments as progress, saying such tactics threaten the credibility of the negotiation process,” the union said.

ASUU FUBK demanded transparency and sincerity from the government in addressing the union’s demands.

The union said it is committed to defending the integrity of the nation’s public universities and will not hesitate to resume industrial action if the government fails to act within the agreed timeframe.

The union urged all stakeholders to join forces to ensure that education is prioritised and that the nation’s universities are revitalised.

The union said it would continue to engage with its members and stakeholders to keep them informed of developments and will provide updates on further actions to be taken.