The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has instructed the University of Abuja chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to proceed with its threatened strike over the disputed university land, insisting that the government would not bow to pressure from the union.

Mr Wike said this during his monthly media chat on Thursday, two days after the chairman of the chapter’s union, Sylvanus Ugoh, said the branch will take legal steps if the minister failed to reverse the alleged allocation of the institution’s land.

The minister criticised the union’s frequent resort to strikes, saying land administration in the territory remains the responsibility of the FCTA. 

He maintained that ASUU has no business with the land dispute.

“It has gotten to the level where they even go on strike when husband and wife quarrel.  They should go on strike. What’s the business of ASUU about land? How do you claim that a university has over 30,000 hectares of land?” 

The minister further stated that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has authority over land administration in the territory and that he is not intimidated by their threats.

“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.

He added that the government has the authority to manage land matters and ensure their adequate use, questioning why the university should retain thousands of hectares of land without developing them adequately.