The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Imo State University (IMSU) Owerri Branch, has declared a total and indefinite strike over the alleged failure of the Imo State Government and the university management to implement the 2025 agreement reached between the union and the Federal Government.
The union announced the industrial action on Monday, August 10, 2026, during a press conference held at the university in Owerri.
The IMSU ASUU Chairman, Stephen Oguji, and Secretary, Lazarus Chikwendu, said the decision followed the failure of the authorities to implement the agreement signed by ASUU and the Federal Government on December 23, 2025, which was scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2026.
According to the union, the agreement was reached to improve the welfare of academic staff and address other conditions of service in public universities.
ASUU-IMSU said it had made several attempts to secure implementation of the agreement, including meetings with the university administration, formally presenting the document to management and issuing a 21-day ultimatum.
The union, however, said all the efforts had failed to produce any meaningful response.
It also expressed concern that implementation had reportedly commenced in some state-owned universities, including those in Bauchi, Ekiti, Ogun, Osun and Sokoto states, while IMSU remained excluded.
“Nearly eight months down the line, nothing has changed in Imo State University. While implementation has commenced in some state-owned universities, it is saddening that such has not happened in IMSU despite repeated engagements with our university administration,” the union said.
The lecturers also raised several other grievances, including the continued retention of IMSU in the Treasury Single Account (TSA), which they described as a complete erosion of university autonomy.
Other complaints listed by the union include the alleged non-payment of promotion arrears dating back to 2016, unpaid salaries owed to some academic staff for several months, withholding of 21 months of check-off dues and non-payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) since 2009.
The union recalled that similar unresolved issues had prompted its members to embark on a strike in 2024. According to ASUU-IMSU, the action was suspended following appeals and assurances from the university management that the grievances would be addressed.
However, the union said the continued failure to resolve the issues had left it with no option but to embark on another industrial action.
“ASUU-IMSU has therefore today, 10th August, 2026, embarked on a total and indefinite strike and vows never to return to work until the agreement is fully implemented,” the union declared.
The lecturers called on the Imo State Government to urgently direct the implementation of the 2025 ASUU-FGN agreement at IMSU, warning that continued delay would only worsen industrial tension at the institution.
The union also appealed to traditional and religious institutions, civil society organisations, parents, student unions and other stakeholders to intervene and prevail on the Visitor to Imo State University to address the outstanding issues.
Despite the declaration of an indefinite strike, ASUU-IMSU said it remained committed to dialogue, consultation and constructive engagement as the preferred means of resolving the dispute.
It, however, warned that its willingness to pursue peaceful resolution should not be misconstrued as acceptance of what it described as the continued denial of the legitimate welfare rights of its members.
The union expressed hope that the relevant authorities would act swiftly to resolve the dispute and restore normal academic activities at the university.
