Sule Lamido University ASUU Serves Jigawa State Two-Week Strike Notice

Lecturers at the Sule Lamido University (SLUK), Kafin Hausa, operating under the umbrella of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), have given the Jigawa State Government a two-week deadline. Their demand centers on the complete implementation of the 2025 ASUU-Federal Government agreement and the settlement of all outstanding arrears, failing which they will commence industrial action from September 15, 2026. Furthermore, the union is seeking the immediate payment of various outstanding allowances, annual salary increments, promotion arrears, and third-party deductions, alongside the release of the approved Earned Academic Allowance for the 2024/2025 academic session.

This latest demand from the Sule Lamido University chapter mirrors similar calls from ASUU branches nationwide, who are also pushing for the full execution of the 2025 ASUU-Federal Government agreement. Many of these chapters have also issued strike threats over unpaid emoluments and delays in staff promotions. The resolution was formally communicated in a statement released to journalists on Wednesday in Dutse, the state capital of Jigawa, bearing the signatures of Idris Chiromawa, ASUU-SLUK Chairman, and Salisu Yunusa, the Secretary.

The statement detailed that the decision to issue the ultimatum emerged from a special congress convened on Tuesday to assess the progress of the 2025 ASUU-FGN agreement's implementation. "The Congress of ASUU-SLUK met on Tuesday, 1st September 2026, at the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences Lecture Theatre 2 to receive an update on the level of implementation of the 2025 ASUU-FGN agreement and review its earlier resolution," the statement explicitly noted. Following extensive discussions, the union firmly resolved to insist on the full execution of the agreement. "We have issued a two-week ultimatum to the Jigawa State Government to fully implement the 2025 ASUU-FGN agreement and pay the accrued arrears from January 2026 to date," the union declared. It further cautioned that if the government fails to adhere to these demands, an industrial action would commence from September 15. "The congress will proceed on an industrial action effective from 15th September 2026 should the Government fail to implement the agreement," the statement reiterated.

Additionally, ASUU-SLUK called for the university's exclusion from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), arguing that the system does not align with the unique operational requirements of the institution. The union also urged the state government to remit all outstanding third-party deductions and to reverse its decision to decrease the 0.7 percent allocation from the mandated two percent Local Government Contribution intended for the university.

Specific demands from the lecturers include the settlement of all outstanding responsibility allowances for eligible staff, payment of annual increments due since 2023, and resolution of promotion arrears from 2024. The release of the approved Earned Academic Allowance for 2024/2025 was also highlighted as a key demand.

In response to inquiries, Professor Yusuf Chamo, the Jigawa State Commissioner for Higher Education, acknowledged that the state government had only recently received communication from the National Universities Commission concerning the Federal Government's agreement. "The state government had only just received the memo from the National Universities Commission regarding the Federal Government agreement this month of September," Chamo explained. He further clarified, "The government is yet to study the memo and incorporate the expenditures into the budget." Professor Chamo emphasized the state's prerogative, stating, "The state government has the right to determine the sources of funding for its two universities." Despite this, he offered assurances that the government is prepared for discussions to prevent any academic disruption, reaffirming Governor Umar Namadi's administration's dedication to improving the state's education sector.