ABUJA, Nigeria – The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has rejected a strike threat by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Abuja chapter, over the reallocation of land originally designated for the institution.
Wike questioned the union’s authority to challenge land allocation decisions by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), insisting that land administration and enforcement of the FCT master plan were government responsibilities. The Minister spoke on Thursday, November 5, 2026, during his monthly media chat, following ASUU-UniAbuja’s warning that the dispute could threaten industrial peace at the university. “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?” he asked.
Wike also questioned the need for the university to retain thousands of hectares of land which he described as undeveloped, arguing that the FCTA’s actions were part of efforts to enforce urban planning and promote development.
He said the administration was prepared to defend its decisions in court if the union pursued legal action. The dispute followed a warning by ASUU-UniAbuja Chairman, Dr Sylvanus Ugoh, that the union could no longer guarantee industrial peace on campus unless the Minister reversed land allocations in the Giri District.
The union maintained that the 11,824 hectares originally allocated to the university were necessary for its future expansion, agricultural research and infrastructure development. The disagreement raises questions about the extent of land available to the university for long-term development and the process through which portions of its originally allocated land were reassigned.
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