KASU Rejects ASUU Claim Over Exit of More Than 200 Lecturers
By Cynthia Okere, Lagos
The management of Kaduna State University, KASU, has rejected claims by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, that more than 200 lecturers have left the institution over poor conditions of service.
Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Abdullahi Musa, described the claim as misleading, arguing that the movement of academic and non-teaching staff between institutions is not peculiar to KASU and should not automatically be attributed to poor working conditions.
The university’s response followed concerns raised by the KASU branch of ASUU, which alleged that more than 200 professors and other experienced academic staff had left the institution amid unresolved welfare issues and the non-implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement.
ASUU-KASU Chairman, Abubakar Abdullahi, had warned that the loss of experienced academics could have serious consequences for teaching, research and the university’s ability to replace senior personnel.
The union also issued a two-week ultimatum over the implementation of the agreement and other welfare concerns.
Responding to the allegations, Professor Musa maintained that staff mobility is common within the university system and cautioned against presenting every departure from KASU as evidence of poor conditions of service.
He said attributing all staff exits to working conditions could create unnecessary concern about the state of the university.
The Vice-Chancellor also pointed to what he described as indicators of continued academic strength at KASU, including the retention of internationally recognised researchers and the attraction of more than £945,000 in research funding over the last three years.
According to him, the Kaduna State Government has spent more than N290 million on resource verification and accreditation for over 90 academic programmes at the university.
He added that KASU secured a N1 billion competitive research grant from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, for research and development in commercial agriculture.
On staff welfare, the Vice-Chancellor said inherited salary arrears dating back to May 2022 had been settled, while SIWES allowances and regular monthly salaries had also been paid.
Professor Musa called for continued dialogue between the university management and ASUU-KASU, saying the institution remained committed to engagement aimed at protecting the interests of staff and students and maintaining stability at the university.
The disagreement over the number and reasons for lecturers leaving KASU comes amid wider concerns over staff welfare and the retention of experienced academics in Nigerian public universities.
The immediate concern for students is whether the dispute will be resolved within ASUU’s ultimatum period or develop into another industrial action capable of disrupting academic activities at KASU.