The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi chapter, has declared a total and comprehensive strike with immediate effect over outstanding salaries owed its members.
The union, formerly the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi chapter, announced the decision in a statement issued on Wednesday by its chairperson, Terseer Abari.
The decision was reached at a congress held by the union on August 12, 2026, and was tagged “No-Pay-No-Work.”
Abari called on the appropriate authorities to settle all outstanding salary obligations to members of ASUU-JOSTUM to enable academic activities to resume.
According to the union, the university management has paid only two of the four components contained in the 2025 agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU.
The union said the components already paid were the Consolidated Academic Staff Salaries and the Earned Academic Allowance.
However, it said the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance and Professorial Allowance remained largely unpaid.
The union explained that the two outstanding components were paid only for January and February 2026, while just 39 per cent of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance for March 2026 had been paid.
ASUU-JOSTUM described the situation as an underpayment of members’ salaries and said it could no longer continue academic activities under the circumstances.
The union said its congress resolved to activate a provision contained in the National Executive Council resolution of August 8 and 9, 2026, authorising the commencement of a total and comprehensive strike.
It stressed that the industrial action would affect all academic activities at the institution.
“There shall be no teaching, student’s supervision, examinations, statutory meetings and any other academic activity during the period of this strike,” the union stated.
The union said the strike would remain in force until the university pays all outstanding salaries owed its members.
ASUU-JOSTUM urged the relevant authorities to address the outstanding payments to facilitate the immediate resolution of the dispute and restore normal academic activities at the university.
