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196-day-old strike : Negotiation between the leadership of the ASUU and the ministry, Ngige writes Adamu on status
…Union’s selfish, political —NANS
…They should have considered our children’s plight —Parents
..We’ve solved 80% of ASUU’s demands—FG claims
…State varsities’ ASUU membership voluntary, say pro-chancellors
..Back CONUA on liberalisation of academic unions
AS members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, failed to call off their 196-day-old strike, yesterday, indications have emerged that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has written the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, to get the situation report on the negotiation between the leadership of the union and the ministry.
Also, there are insinuations that the Federal Government may drag ASUU to the National Industrial Court for refusing to suspend the strike, after some of its concerns had been addressed.
An impeccable source in the Ministry of Labour and Employment did not confirm whether there was any such move to take ASUU to the Industrial Court, but the source said the Minister of Labour, who is the Conciliator-in-Chief, might meet with the Minister of Education to know the status of the ongoing renegotiation talks.
“We gathered that the Minister (Ngige) has written to the Minister of Education to know the status of the ongoing negotiation with ASUU. The union is also expected to inform the ministry,” the source said.
Reminded that ASUU has extended the strike, the source said: “There must be a reason they decided to extend the strike, despite government’s offer to them. But I don’t know whether they have given their reasons for the action to the Minister of Education; the union is supposed to write to the ministry to state why they are extending the strike. They are also supposed to copy the Minister of Labour.”
Another source said since the Minister of Education was the direct employer of the university teachers and the one handling the negotiation matters, it was normal that he should write his counterpart in the Ministry of Labour on the situation report.
“You know the matter was sent to Mallam Adamu to renegotiate the 2009 agreement with ASUU, that is why the Professor Nimi Briggs Renegotiation Committee was set up. If there is any breakdown, the Minister of Education should write a report on the status of the negotiation to the Minister of Labour. ASUU is also expected to send a report to the Labour Minister,” he said.
Parents of students in public universities and their wards were, yesterday, left disappointed when members of ASUU failed to call off their industrial action, after their National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Abuja.
Instead of the anticipated easing of tension in the ivory towers, the union rather opted to roll over the strike that entered 196 days, yesterday. The industrial action started on February 14, this year.
Though the national leadership of the union is yet to come up with an official statement on the meeting, it was gathered that the meeting resolved to go on indefinite strike.
A member of the NEC told Vanguard that a formal position of the union in respect of the NEC meeting would be communicated through ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, who he noted was the person with the responsibility to do so.
“We resolved in our just concluded NEC meeting that we should make the ongoing strike indefinite since the federal government has failed to show any commitment to addressing the grey areas that led us to this action.
”Our president, as usual, would communicate this, among other decisions, to the public through the media,” he said, refusing to speak further.
Commenting on the development, the National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Sunday Asefon, described the action of the union as political, warning that the lecturers should no longer claim they were fighting for the welfare of students.
“Yes, strike is a weapon by unions to agitate for their demands to be met. But in this case, ASUU has deviated from their original intention. They are now pursuing their own personal interests.
”The leadership of ASUU is selfish. We won’t support them again, we were supporting them before because the issue of Revitalisation Fund for the universities was involved. Now, they are concerned about their salaries and welfare.
“We can say the Federal Government has not done well, but that is not to say that the union should be inconsiderate too. Most of the things they are now complaining about, the UTAS, salary increment, Earned Academic Allowances, who are they for?
”They are for the lecturers now. We are not saying the government should not pay them, but they should know that students were at home for nine months in 2020 and now for over six months. We may have to call out Nigerian students to protest against this,” he said.
The National President of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, NAPTAN, Haruna Danjuma, expressed disappointment about the turn of events.
“We thought the issues would be amicably resolved and the strike suspended, but that was not the case. It is a big blow. We need divine intervention in this matter. The government has more than one thousand and one ways to resolve this matter.
”We implore the President to thread softly on the issue of “No work, no pay,” as that is the major grey area now.
“We appeal that the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, the FG and ASUU hold a meeting to resolve this. The union and the government should consider the plight of our children. There is no need to escalate the situation,” he said.
We’ve solved 80% of ASUU’s demands —FG
Reacting to the development, the FG said it had addressed 80 per cent of the union’s demands, noting that the extension of the strike was unreasonable.
The Federal Ministry of Education, speaking through its Director of Press and Public Relations, Mr Bem Goong, said:”If you bring some demands and almost 80% have been attended to, there is no need to drag the strike anymore. It is unreasonable for the strike to be lingering since the government has worked towards fulfilling most of the demands.”
Mr. Going who said the federal government had deployed all measures to end the strike, added: “As regards the next steps, the government has already inaugurated a committee to harmonize the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution, UTAS and the University Peculiar Personnel and Payroll System,U3PS. This will ensure that the government will pay with only one payment platform that will harmonize all the technical peculiarities.”
Recall that the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu, had last week, claimed that government had resolved most of the demands of ASUU.
Among the demands addressed, according to Adamu, was the release of N50 billion for the payment of earned allowances for academic and non-academic staff of universities.
State varsities’ ASUU membership voluntary—Pro-chancellors
Meanwhile, the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of state universities yesterday said state universities could not be coerced to implementing the agreement reached between the Federal Government and lecturers in federal universities under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
The committee also called for liberalisation of industrial unions in the university system by registering more unions.
The pro-chancellors also stated that there was a need for the democratisation of membership of unions in the universities, noting that state varsities’ membership was voluntary.
State universities have come under fire over their failure to pull out of the ongoing strike declared by the national body of ASUU.
In a statement yesterday by the chairman, Yusuf Ali, SAN, the pro-chancellors said: “ The Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-owned Universities read with alarm and disbelief a statement made by the President of the ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodike on a television programme where he said that state universities are ‘irrelevant and quacks’.
“Our first reaction was to ignore this tendentious, ill-conceived and flagrant unconscionable statement by the President of ASUU, but on reflection, it was thought necessary to do a rejoinder to this rather unfortunate statement, having regard to the position of the President of ASUU in the scheme of things in our university system in Nigeria.
“Though COPSUN will not want to go into any diatribe with the president of ASUU, the committee wishes to state as follows to put records straight:
“That the Pro-Chancellors of our state universities and, indeed, members of the councils are distinguished and accomplished eminent persons who served and still serve this nation in many capacities.”
Nigeria and the United States yesterday launched a joint military operation to flush out terrorists in the Northwest, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed last night.
The Federal Government confirmed in a statement by the ministry that it remained engaged in structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States (U.S.), in addressing the persistent threat of terrorism and violent extremism.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the joint operation in a tweet on his X handle.
He said the attacks were on Islamic States of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Sokoto State.
The statement by the Foreign Affairs Ministry was signed in the early hours of today by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa.
It reads: “This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the Northwest. In line with established international practice and bilateral understandings, this cooperation includes the exchange of intelligence, strategic coordination, and other forms of support consistent with international law, mutual respect for sovereignty, and shared commitments to regional and global security.
“Nigeria reiterates that all counter-terrorism efforts are guided by the primacy of protecting civilian lives, safeguarding national unity, and upholding the rights
and dignity of all citizens, irrespective of faith or ethnicity.
“Terrorist violence in any form, whether directed at Christians, Muslims, or other communities, remains an affront to Nigeria’s values and to international peace and security.
“The Federal Government continues to work closely with its partners through established diplomatic and security channels to weaken terrorist networks, disrupt their financing and logistics, and prevent cross-border threats, while strengthening Nigeria’s own security institutions and intelligence capabilities.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to engage relevant partners and keep the public informed through appropriate official channels.”
Confirming the operation, Trump said the military struck terrorists’ hideout in Sokoto.
The U.S. President said he had ordered the deadly strike to flush out ISIS terrorists in the Northwest.
Trump had accused the terror group of persecuting Christians in Nigeria.
In a post on social media, Trump said he had directed a “powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria,” who he said had been killing innocent people.
U.S. Africa Command said the strike killed multiple terrorists at the request of Nigerian authorities in Sokoto State, which borders Niger to the north.
The claim could not be verified as at the time of filing this report.
“I have previously warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.
“Under my leadership, our country will not allow radical terrorism to prosper. May God bless our military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues,” added the president, who is spending the Christmas holiday at his estate in Palm Beach.
In a separate post on social media, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said he was “grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation”.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, Mr. Daniel Bwala, told CNN: “The U.S. and Nigeria are on the same page in the fight against terrorism.”
Trump has focused for the last several months on terrorist activities, including calling in November on his secretary of defence to “prepare for possible action” and warning the U.S. would enter Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” to protect the Christian population of Africa’s most populous country.
On Christmas Eve, Tinubu shared a “Christmas Goodwill Message” in which he wished Christians across his nation and the world a merry Christmas and prayed for peace among individuals of differing religious beliefs.
“I stand committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect Christians, Muslims, and all Nigerians from violence,” President Tinubu said in a post on X.
A delegation of senior Nigerian officials had visited the U.S. to hold talks with their counterpart.
The team, led by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, had explained the government position.
The team said the terrorists have no specific target.
A delegation made manily of U.S Congressmen had also visited Nigeria.
Both countries had raised a joint committee to deepen talks
ICPC invites Dangote and ex-NMDPRA boss
Pushes ahead despite ex-CEO’s resignation
Raises panel, opens investigation on Monday
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has invited businessman, Aliko Dangote for more information in respect of his petition against the immediate past managing director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Alhaji Farouk Ahmed.
Dangote is expected to appear or send his lawyer, Ogwu Onoja (SAN) tomorrow when ICPC’s investigation of the petition formally commences.
The commission raised a panel of crack investigators on Friday to handle the probe,
The ICPC ,according to sources ,has asked Dangote to submit his evidence to the anti-graft agency.
Dangote had accused Farouk of corruption and misappropriation of funds, including spending millions of dollars on his four children’s education in expensive and exclusive schools in Switzerland.
The businessman accused Farouk of economic sabotage by undermining domestic refining by colluding with international traders and oil importers through the continued issuance of import licences.
Farouk has since resigned his appointment.
But the commission said it is going ahead with the investigation, Farouk’s resignation notwithstanding.
“All is set for the investigation, ” a well- placed source in ICPC told The Nation yesterday.
“ICPC has set up a panel of crack investigators on Dangote’s petition. The Chairman of the commission, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN) asked the trusted team to stay action on a case and focus on Dangote’s petition. This underscores the importance attached to this case,” the source said.
“We have also invited Dangote or his lawyer to come on Monday to adopt the petition. “Either of them is to present relevant documents or evidence to support the petition.
“He who alleges must prove or provide lead on the allegations which our investigators must act on.
“We have acknowledged the receipt of the petition in line with our guidelines or mandate to do so within 48 hours.”
Continuing, the source said :”after formal adoption of the petition, we will isolate issues and ask Ahmed to respond to the allegations.
“We have been inundated with enquiries but I can assure you that ICPC will be fair to all the parties.”
Responding to a question, the source added: “The resignation of Ahmed does not affect this probe which is in the public interest.”
“Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act (ICPC Act 2000) makes it an offence for any public officer to use his/her position to confer an unfair or corrupt advantage on himself, his relatives, associates, or other public officers.Anyone found guilty of any such offence is liable to five years imprisonment without the option of a fine.
“The enabling law also stipulates harsh punishment for individuals deemed to have wasted ICPC’s time and resources by making malicious or frivolous petitions against others.”
In the petition submitted on Tuesday through his lawyer, Ogwu Onoja SAN), Dangote demanded the arrest, investigation and prosecution of Farouk for allegedly living above his means as a public servant.
corruption threatens development
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He accused Farouk of “spending without evidence of lawful means of income amounting to over $7 million for the education of his four children” in Switzerland.
The document named the children and their schools and provided specific amounts paid for verification.
“Engr Farouk Ahmed spent without evidence of lawful means of income humongous amount of money of over $7million of public funds, for the education of his four children in different schools in Switzerland for a period of six years upfront,” Dangote alleged.
“It is without doubt that the above facts in relation to abuse of office, breach of the Code of Conduct for public officers, corrupt enrichment and embezzlement constitute gross acts of corrupt practices, for which ICPC is statutorily empowered under section 19 of the ICPC Act to investigate and prosecute,” Dangote added.
The cold war between Dangote and petroleum regulators had earlier sparked a N100billion suit.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE filed a N100 billion lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja challenging import licences issued by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and others, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The refinery accused the regulator of granting licences to import refined petroleum products despite domestic production capacity.
It alleged that the action of the regulator has violated some sections of the Petroleum Industry Act.
The suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/1324/2024, was discontinued in July 2025 by Dangote’s lawyers.
ICPC petition guidelines say: “Any person anywhere in the world may make a complaint against any other person (corporate or non- corporate) in Nigeria, where reasonable grounds exist for suspecting that such a person has conspired to commit or attempted to commit or has committed an offence under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
Complaint/petition is made through oral/written report submitted through post, physically to any ICPC office in Nigeria.
A complaint made orally or by an illiterate shall be reduced into writing and read over to the complainant by an officer of the Commission.
The report shall set out details of the complaint , date, time and place where the offence was allegedly committed.
The complainant shall provide the names and addresses, phone number, email and other relevant information that may assist the Commission in locating the person or persons against whom the complaint is made.
The complainant shall state his/her full address, email or phone number or any other information that will assist the commission in contacting him/her, whenever necessary.
Reports can also be made online through any of the commission’s reporting platforms.
The commission shall acknowledge receipt of any petition within 48 hours.
Spokesperson of ICPC , John Okor Odey confirmed that the commission “received a formal petition on Tuesday, 16th December, 2025 from Alhaji Aliko Dangote through his lawyer. The petition is against the CEO of the NMDPRA, Alhaji Farouk Ahmed. The ICPC wishes to state that the petition will be duly investigated.”
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JUST IN : N2.2bn Fraud, Court Upholds Ngige’s EFCC Bail, Insists on Senior Civil Servant as Surety
The Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Gwarinpa, Abuja, on Thursday, granted a former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, to continue to enjoy the administrative bail earlier granted him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The trial judge, Justice Maryam Hassan, made the order while delivering a ruling in the bail application filed and argued on behalf of the former minister by his lead counsel, Patrick Ikwueto (SAN).
Justice Hassan in the ruling directed Ngige to produce a surety who must be a director in the employment of the Federal Government and own a landed property.
Justice Hassan ruled that the surety is to deposit the title documents of the landed property, as well as his travel documents, with the court pending the time Ngige completes the retrieval of his own international passport.
The EFCC had previously granted Ngige bail on self-recognition and directed him to submit his travel documents to the commission, in addition to providing one surety.
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