Wike Rejects ASUU Strike Threat Over UniAbuja Land
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has dismissed a strike threat by the University of Abuja chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities over the reallocation of parts of the institution’s land.
Speaking during his monthly media briefing on Thursday, Wike said land ownership and allocation in the Federal Capital Territory fell under the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s authority, not ASUU’s. He also rejected the union’s claims of land grabbing.
“What is the business of ASUU on our land? How is ASUU the owner of land?” he asked.
Wike questioned why the university should retain thousands of hectares without developing them, saying the government had a duty to ensure land was used properly and in line with the FCT master plan. He added that the administration was ready to defend its decision in court and would not be pressured by strike threats.
The dispute intensified after ASUU’s University of Abuja branch chairman, Dr Sylvanus Ugoh, warned that the union could not guarantee industrial peace on campus unless the allocations were reversed.
Ugoh said the university had originally been granted 11,824 hectares in Guri District for future expansion, agricultural research and infrastructure. The union objected to parts of the land being allocated to private developers and government agencies, arguing that the university’s property should be protected from encroachment.
Wike maintained that the FCTA would continue to manage land in the territory and make decisions on its recovery and allocation in line with its statutory responsibilities.
