UniAbuja Land War: Wike, ASUU Clash Over Fresh Allocations

A fresh confrontation has erupted between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over the alleged allocation of portions of the University of Abuja's land to private developers and individuals.

The dispute, which has heightened tension within the university community, centres on allegations that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) allocated parts of the institution's land on September 26, 2026, despite a subsisting court order restraining the minister from encroaching on the property.

The University of Abuja chapter of ASUU has condemned the reported allocations, describing them as a violation of the rule of law and a threat to the institution's long-term development. The union has also warned that industrial harmony at the university may no longer be guaranteed if the allocations are not reversed.

Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, the branch chairman, Prof. Sylvanus Ugoh, alleged that Justice F.E. Messiri of the Maitama High Court had, on August 18, 2026, granted an interlocutory injunction restraining the FCT minister from entering or interfering with the university's land.

Ugoh accused the FCTA of disregarding the court order by proceeding with the disputed allocations barely weeks after it was granted.

He maintained that the land was a Federal Government asset held in trust for Nigerians and should not be treated as the property of the FCT Administration.

According to him, the University of Abuja was established in 1988 with an initial allocation of 11,824 hectares in the Giri District to provide sufficient space for its future academic, research and infrastructural development.

He explained that the land was intended to accommodate research centres, institutes, agricultural projects, student accommodation and other facilities required as the university expanded.

The ASUU chairman argued that the fact that some portions of the land remained undeveloped did not mean they were no longer needed by the institution.

He cited the University of Ilorin, Obafemi Awolowo University, Federal University of Technology, Minna, and the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, as examples of institutions with extensive land holdings.

Ugoh said the union would resist any attempt to take over the university's property through lawful means and appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene by calling Wike to order.

The controversy dates back to June 30, 2025, when Wike announced that the FCTA had reclaimed 7,000 hectares out of approximately 11,000 hectares he alleged the university had occupied without proper documentation.

Speaking during the commissioning of access roads in the Giri District, the minister accused the institution of fencing off large portions of land without the necessary approvals.

"The University on their own grabbed 11,000 hectares. I said that will not happen. No document, nothing. You see them fencing everywhere, and before you know it, they would have gone to sell our land," Wike had said.

He disclosed that he directed relevant FCTA agencies to retain 4,000 hectares for the university while recovering the remaining 7,000 hectares for reallocation.

The minister linked the decision to plans to open up the Giri District through road infrastructure and attract investment, including the development of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Academy.

Meanwhile, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has expressed concern over the reported allocations, warning that the dispute raises fundamental questions about transparency, due process and the protection of public assets.

Its Executive Director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said the FCTA's statutory powers over land administration did not confer unlimited authority to undermine public institutions.

CISLAC called for the immediate suspension of further allocations and development activities on the disputed property pending an independent review.

The organisation also urged the authorities to reverse any allocation found to have violated the law or the university's legitimate land rights, adding that credible evidence of corruption or misconduct should be referred to the appropriate investigative agencies.

Also expressing concern, a senior lecturer in the Department of History at Sokoto State University, Dr Godwin Odeh, warned that reducing the university's land holdings could undermine its future expansion and academic programmes.

Odeh said the University of Abuja, given its strategic location in the nation's capital, should be developed into a leading institution capable of attracting scholars and students from across the world.

He particularly highlighted the land requirements of the Faculty of Agriculture, noting that students needed adequate space for demonstration farms and practical training.

However, Wike has dismissed ASUU's threat of industrial action, questioning the union's involvement in matters relating to land administration in the FCT.

Speaking during his monthly media interaction on Thursday, the minister insisted that land administration fell within the statutory responsibilities of the FCTA and that ASUU had no authority to determine land ownership or allocation.

"What is the business of ASUU on our land? How is ASUU the owner of land? Is ASUU the owner of the union in Nigeria now? Is it the union's right?" he asked.

Wike also questioned the justification for allowing the university to retain thousands of hectares of land without what he described as adequate development, arguing that government had a responsibility to ensure proper land use and compliance with the FCT master plan.

He said he did not initiate the revocation process but was continuing an administrative procedure started by his predecessor.

The minister further maintained that the dispute was already before the courts and urged the union to allow the judiciary to determine the matter rather than resort to threats of industrial action.

He dismissed the union's position as an attempt at intimidation and insisted that the FCTA would not abandon its land recovery and allocation responsibilities.

The dispute has placed the university's future expansion plans, the FCTA's statutory powers over land administration and the authority of the courts at the centre of an increasingly contentious battle, with the possibility of industrial action adding to concerns over the stability of the institution.