BREAKING: Tinubu Orders Physical Headcount of University Lecturers as ASUU Strike Enters Day Two

Tinubu Orders Physical Headcount of University Lecturers as ASUU Strike Enters Day Two

 

The Federal Government has directed all federal universities to immediately conduct a physical headcount of academic staff, as the two-week strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) entered its second day.

 

The directive was contained in a circular dated October 13, 2025, signed by Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and addressed to vice-chancellors and pro-chancellors of federal universities. The circular reaffirmed the government’s insistence on enforcing its “no work, no pay” policy.

 

Copied to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Accountant-General, and the National Universities Commission (NUC), the memo ordered university administrators to “immediately take roll call and physically verify the presence of academic staff on campuses.”

 

According to the minister, the exercise is to determine lecturers participating in the ongoing strike and isolate those who have continued with their duties.

 

“In line with existing labour regulations, any employee who fails to discharge official duties during a strike period will not be entitled to remuneration for that period,” the circular stated.

 

Dr. Alausa expressed disappointment over ASUU’s decision to embark on industrial action “despite ongoing engagement efforts,” warning that the Tinubu administration would no longer tolerate disruptions to the academic calendar.

 

Vice-chancellors were mandated to submit detailed reports separating striking lecturers from non-striking ones to guide the implementation of salary deductions.

 

The circular clarified that members of parallel academic unions such as the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) “should continue to receive their full entitlements.”

 

Labour Unions Kick Back

The directive has sparked backlash from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which accused the Federal Government of adopting intimidation tactics instead of genuine negotiation.

 

In a statement signed by NLC President Joe Ajaero, the union condemned the “no work, no pay” measure, insisting it would only deepen the crisis.

 

“The commencement of a two-week warning strike by ASUU is a direct consequence of the Federal Government’s refusal to honour collectively bargained agreements,” Ajaero said.

 

He argued that the government — not the lecturers — was in breach of contract.

“The breach lies with the state, not the scholars. The lecturers are willing to work, but the government, by reneging on its commitments, has made it impossible for them to do so with dignity.”

 

Ajaero warned that failure to resolve the dispute could trigger a nationwide industrial showdown.

 

ASUU Fires Back: “No Pay, No Work”

ASUU has dismissed the government’s headcount order as an empty threat. Adeola Egbetokun, Zonal Coordinator of ASUU (Akure Zone), said members were not intimidated by the “no work, no pay” stance.

“It is a familiar route, and our members are ready. Dr Alausa should also know that there is what is called ‘No Pay, No Work’,” he told journalists.

He accused the government of abandoning previously negotiated agreements and presenting a “strange document” during discussions.

 

“We had engaged in collective bargaining with this government, and most of the concessions were from ASUU. Yet, the government became recalcitrant.”

 

Students Left in Limbo

The strike, declared on October 13, cites government failure to honour longstanding agreements on funding, staff welfare, and revitalisation of public universities.

 

While the Ministry of Education insists dialogue remains open, university unions accuse the Tinubu administration of paying lip service to negotiations.