‘What’s your business with land’ – Wike blasts UniAbuja lecturers as strike looms
FCT Minister Criticizes University Union Over Land Dispute
Abuja, Nigeria — Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has condemned the University of Abuja chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for its threat to shut down the institution in response to a land allocation dispute.
During a press briefing on Thursday, Wike questioned the authority of ASUU to challenge decisions regarding land allocations in Abuja. He emphasized that land administration in the FCT is exclusively the responsibility of the FCT Administration and does not involve trade unions.
“What is ASUU’s business concerning our land? How does ASUU claim ownership? Is it the organization’s prerogative to dictate land use in Nigeria?” Wike asked.
The minister refuted claims of land grabbing by the FCT Administration, asserting that the government is strictly enforcing the Abuja Master Plan and recovering land that had been allocated but remained undeveloped without the necessary documentation and approvals.
Wike further labeled the union’s threat of a strike as an attempt at blackmail and affirmed that the FCT Administration would not be intimidated into reversing its decisions. He indicated that the administration is prepared to defend its land allocations in court if necessary.
The conflict escalated on Tuesday when Professor Sylvanus Ugoh, chairman of ASUU at the University of Abuja, held a press conference accusing Wike of allocating parts of the university’s land in Giri District to private entities, despite a court order prohibiting such actions.
According to ASUU, Justice F.E. Mesiri of the Maitama High Court issued an interlocutory injunction on August 18, 2026, barring Wike from accessing or interfering with the contested land. The union claims that portions of the land continued to be allocated to private interests as recently as September 26, 2026.
ASUU has emphasized the importance of the 11,824 hectares originally allocated to the university in 1988 for future development, including expansions, hostels, research centers, and innovation hubs.
