Wike Dismisses ASUU Strike Threat over UniAbuja Land Dispute, Questions Union’s Authority over Land Ownership
By Our Reporter
Barrister Nyesom Wike,
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),
has dismissed the strike threat by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Abuja (UniAbuja) chapter, over the reallocation of portions of the institution’s land to private developers and government agencies.
Wike, who reacted during his monthly media chat in Port Harcourt on Thursday, questioned the union’s authority to challenge land allocation decisions, insisting that land administration in the FCT falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
“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 queried.
The minister rejected allegations of land grabbing by the FCTA, arguing that the administration had the statutory responsibility to regulate land ownership, allocation, and enforcement of the Abuja Master Plan.
He also questioned the rationale behind a single university holding thousands of hectares of land without developing them, particularly when such land could be put to productive use.
Wike maintained that the government’s decision to reallocate portions of the university’s land was part of its urban planning and development responsibilities.
Reacting to ASUU’s threat to embark on strike and challenge the decision in court, the minister said the FCTA was prepared to defend its actions through the appropriate legal channels.
He accused the union’s leadership of using industrial action threats as leverage against the government, urging it to follow established procedures rather than resort to what he described as blackmail.
Wike further insisted that the recovery and reallocation of unused land would continue, stressing that federal institutions could not arbitrarily occupy thousands of hectares without proper documentation, approvals, and evidence of utilisation
The dispute followed a recent press conference by the Chairman of ASUU, University of Abuja chapter, Dr Sylvanus Ugoh, who warned that the union could no longer guarantee industrial harmony on the campus if the FCT Minister failed to reverse the disputed land allocations in the Giri District.
ASUU had argued that the 11,824 hectares originally allocated to the university were necessary for its long-term expansion, agricultural research, and infrastructure development.
However, Wike maintained that all land allocations within the FCT remained subject to the regulatory oversight of the FCTA, insisting that the administration would not abandon its development plans over the union’s threat.
