ASUU Begs A’Court to Stay Judgement Ordering End of Strike - Newstrends
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ASUU Begs A’Court to Stay Judgement Ordering End of Strike

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ASUU’s National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke

* Obey ruling, return to the classrooms, FG tells university teachers

The striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), yesterday approached the Court of Appeal, Abuja for an order to stay the execution of a court judgement ordering it to end its ongoing nationwide strike.
The university teachers have been on strike since February 14, to press home their demands for improved funding for universities and a review of salaries for lecturers, among other issues.

Justice Polycarp Hamman of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja Division, had on Wednesday, while delivering ruling in an interlocutory injunction application by the federal government, restrained ASUU from continuing with the strike.

The judge had predicated his decision on Section 18 of the Trade Dispute Act, that empowers him to make such decisions in the interest of the nation.
Dissatisfied, the university lecturers yesterday filed a Notice of Appeal to challenge the order of the Industrial Court.

ASUU through its lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, had in a motion sought the leave of the court “to appeal against the interlocutory ruling of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria per Honourable Justice P.1. Hamman.”
The appellant also prayed the court for another order, “staying execution of the order of Justice Hamman … pending the hearing and determination of the interlocutory Appeal.”

ASUU is claiming that the ruling of Justice Hamman affects its fundamental rights to fair hearing, adding that it would be in the interest of justice to stay the execution of same pending the hearing and determination of the Appeal arising thereto.
In the 14 grounds of proposed notice of appeal, ASUU is claiming that the trial Judge “erred in law and thereby occasioned a miscarriage of justice when he decided to hear and determine the Respondents’ motion for interlocutory injunction when he knew or ought to have known that the substantive suit filed by the Claimant was not initiated by due process of law.”

ASUU in grounds two of the appeal also claimed that Justice Hamman misdirected himself in law and occasioned a miscarriage of justice when he decided to hear other motions before the motion challenging court’s jurisdiction on the matter.
The appellant further submitted that the learned trial judge erred in law when he held that “pursuant to Section 17 of the Trade Dispute Act, Section 18(1) E mandates the members of the Defendants/Respondents not to take part in any strike pending the determination of the suit.”

After several failed attempts to get the striking lecturers back to work while negotiations continue, the government opted for the current court action and prayed the court to compel ASUU to end the nearly seven months old strike in the interest of the nation and the Nigerian students who are suffering the most from the strike.
The Ministry of Labour had approached the industrial court to challenge the refusal of the striking lecturers to end the nearly seven months old strike, claiming that millions of students have been out of school since February 14, 2022 when they went on strike.

FG to ASUU: Obey Court Ruling, Go Back to Classrooms

The federal government yesterday urged the public university lecturers to heed the ruling of the National Industrial Court by calling off the seven-month old strike and returning to the classrooms.
Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, who made the government position known, advised ASUU to obey the court ruling and call off its ongoing nationwide strike, while negotiations are ongoing.

He gave the advice while speaking with newsmen in New York on the sideline of the United Nations General Assembly.
Ngige said: “I’m not ASUU but the maximum in law is that when there is a court judgement or ruling or order you must first obey and then we can apply for an appeal if you so desire or apply for stay, that is stay of execution.

“So, the maximum in law, jurisprudence and everything about the law, is that you obey the court’s ruling, judgement or order, no matter how bad.
“So, we expect them to get back to the classrooms but that doesn’t foreclose negotiations, the negotiations should be on as a matter of fact, it will be on officially and non-officially. For example, the House of Representatives had invited us to come and brief them. And together, they are stakeholders.

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“You heard Mr. President said to the committee of Pro-Chancellors, when they visited him, that he would do consultation as per the two request on putting an icing on the cake, on the government’s offer to ASUU members and the issue of resettlement fund to cushion the effect of the ‘no work no pay’ situation they found themselves.”

Law Infraction: NLC Intervenes for ASUU

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has waded into the brewing conflict between the Federal Ministry of Labour and ASUU over alleged non-rendition of annual financial returns and audited accounts by the union.
Ngige had accused the leadership of ASUU of failing to submit the annual audited account of its finances as required by law for the past five years.

Owing to this, he said the union was in violation of the relevant section of the Trade Union Act requiring unions to submit their audited account to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment at the office of the Registrar of Trade Unions.

Ngige disclosed this in Abuja during a meeting with the Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA), a new group seeking registration, stating that ASUU risks losing its certificate of registration.
He said the law requires that the union and other registered trade unions to audit their account at least once every year and to indicate how they utilise the funds accruing from check off dues paid by their members.
Ngige said that by not submitting the audited accounts for five years running, the union has violated the provisions of Section 37(1) of the Trade Union Act (CAP TILFN 2004).

He said ASUU’s registration as a trade union may be withdrawn because of this.
However, NLC has written to the Registrar of Trade Unions, pleading that it should accept and file the annual financial returns and audited accounts, presented by ASUU on September 9.
In a letter signed by NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, addressed to the Registrar of Trade Unions and copied to the Minister of Labour and Employment yesterday in Abuja, Wabba said:  “We understand that ASUU has responded to your query to submit its Annual Financial Reports and Audited Accounts within 72 hours
“ASUU responded to the query through their letter dated Sept. 9. In the letter, the union posited that it had submitted the Annual Financial Returns and Audited Accounts for 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

“ASUU also averred that the union has now rendered the account for 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 as at 9th September 2022.
“All these submissions were made in less than 72 hours in compliance with your query as conveyed in your letter.
“We also understand that ASUU sent one of their staff and their external auditor to personally deliver the requested financial documents on Sept. 9.
“But their efforts to submit the documents were rebuffed by your staff who insisted that they were under instructions not to accept any document from ASUU.
“ASUU subsequently sent the requested financial documents through courier services but again the staff in your office refused to receive the Annual Financial Returns and the Audited Accounts from ASUU.”

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Tinubu Suspends Three Permanent Secretaries, Orders Arrest Over Fake Agency in SGF Office

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August 22, 2026

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Tinubu Suspends Three Permanent Secretaries, Orders Arrest Over Fake Agency in SGF Office
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu Suspends Three Permanent Secretaries, Orders Arrest Over Fake Agency in SGF Office

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) uncovered the “National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office,” which allegedly operated without presidential approval within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The President has ordered the immediate arrest of the agency’s promoter and the suspension of three top civil servants.

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries and directed the arrest of the promoter of a newly uncovered fake government agency operating within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF). The discovery was announced on Friday by the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, during a briefing with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The illegal entity, identified as the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, was found to have been allocated office space within the OSGF complex without presidential authorisation and in violation of existing regulations. The ICPC chairman explained that the discovery was made during the commission’s broader investigation into the earlier uncovered fake Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and other procedural weaknesses in the public service.

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According to Aliyu, the fake agency was promoted by Prince George Buchi Nwabueze, who was found to have allegedly operated under several variations of his name, including George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, and George Nwabueze. The investigation also uncovered the alleged involvement of suspected collaborators within the OSGF who may have facilitated the agency’s operations.

Following the ICPC’s briefing, President Tinubu directed the immediate arrest of Nwabueze and the suspension of three permanent secretaries: M.S. Danjuma, Engineer Nadungu Gagare, and Richard P. Pheelangwah. The ICPC has engaged with officials of the OSGF to gather vital information regarding the unauthorised office, and the investigation remains active.

The latest discovery comes barely weeks after the exposure of the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), whose self-styled Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, is currently facing prosecution over allegations of forgery and impersonation. An interim ICPC report submitted to President Tinubu on August 6 had also identified two other fictitious bodies: the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership. With Friday’s announcement, the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office becomes the fourth fake agency uncovered by the anti-corruption commission in connection with the scandal since early April.

The ICPC chairman commended President Tinubu for directing a forensic audit of government processes and a wider policy audit of federal ministries, departments, and agencies, describing the move as a proactive step towards strengthening governance and closing loopholes that could facilitate abuse within the public service. The investigation is expected to focus not only on the individuals behind the purported agency but also on the institutional weaknesses that allowed an unauthorised entity to gain access to federal government premises.

Tinubu Suspends Three Permanent Secretaries, Orders Arrest Over Fake Agency in SGF Office

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N3.14 Trillion Spent on Electricity Subsidy in 31 Months – FG

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August 22, 2026

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N3.14 Trillion Spent on Electricity Subsidy in 31 Months – FG

N3.14 Trillion Spent on Electricity Subsidy in 31 Months – FG

The Federal Government says the massive spending shielded consumers from the full impact of tariff hikes, but critics question the value amid persistent blackouts and plans to phase out subsidies by 2027.

The President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government has disclosed that it spent N3.14 trillion on electricity subsidies between June 2023 and December 2025, according to figures contained in its latest economic reform scorecard. The government said the intervention was designed to protect electricity consumers from the full effect of tariff increases as reforms in the power sector continued.

The electricity subsidy was among N30.64 trillion in additional spending pressures incurred by the Federal Government during the 31-month period. The figures were released by the Ministry of Finance following a presentation by Taiwo Oyedele, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.

According to the ministry, electricity subsidy payments rose sharply from N177 billion in 2023 to N1.48 trillion in 2024, representing an increase of more than 740 per cent. By December 2025, the subsidy bill stood at N1.47 trillion, indicating a marginal 1.14 per cent decline compared with the previous year.

Other major spending pressures recorded during the period included N9.39 trillion for wage adjustments and minimum-wage increases, N9.37 trillion arising from the impact of exchange-rate movements on external debt servicing, and N6.47 trillion for strategic infrastructure projects.

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The government said it mobilised N20.4 trillion in additional resources to partly finance the increased expenditure. The funds comprised N5.43 trillion from the Federal Government’s share of estimated petrol subsidy savings, N3.12 trillion in additional revenues, and N11.85 trillion raised through incremental borrowing. Despite these resources, the government said there was still a funding shortfall of N10.24 trillion, which had to be accommodated within the existing revenue base.

Despite the substantial subsidy spending, electricity supply deteriorated during the same period. According to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Federal Government incurred an electricity tariff subsidy of N358.32 billion in the first quarter of 2026 alone. The subsidy bill averaged more than N119 billion per month as the government maintained its freeze on end-user electricity tariffs at July 2024 rates.

NERC explained that because electricity tariffs remain below cost-reflective levels, the government continues to subsidise the difference between the actual cost of power generation and the approved tariffs charged to consumers. Under the current Distribution Companies’ Remittance Obligation (DRO) framework, electricity generation companies invoiced the 11 DisCos a total of N689.72 billion during the quarter. However, only N331.40 billion was billed to the DisCos, leaving the government to cover the remaining N358.32 billion. The subsidy accounted for 51.95 per cent of the total generation invoice during the period.

The commission clarified that the lower subsidy payment in Q1 2026 did not result from the introduction of cost-reflective tariffs but rather from a decline in electricity purchased by the distribution companies during the quarter. According to the report, average available generation capacity fell by 17.45 per cent, dropping from 5,400.38MW in the fourth quarter of 2025 to 4,457.96MW in the first quarter of 2026. Total electricity generation also declined by 9.64 per cent to 8,883.47GWh.

The subsidy disclosure has drawn criticism from organised private sector groups. The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) questioned the impact of the N15.8 trillion in petrol subsidy savings and criticised the N3.14 trillion electricity subsidy, saying it appeared to contradict the logic behind electricity tariff reforms and highlighted the high power costs that continue to burden businesses.

NERC has warned that the current subsidy regime leaves the Federal Government exposed to uncertain and potentially rising financial obligations. “The open-ended nature of the subsidy exposes the FGN to indeterminate subsidy obligations due to volumetric risk and changes in generation costs arising from changes in the generation mix, particularly with an increase in thermal generation,” the commission stated.

The disclosure comes against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s plan to gradually withdraw electricity subsidies from 2027. In July, Joseph Tegbe, Minister of Power, said the government had no immediate plan to increase electricity tariffs, explaining that subsidy payments would be gradually phased out from next year while ensuring that Nigerians continued to benefit from existing arrangements. “I promise you, next year, by God’s grace, we will put a stop to this so-called subsidy in the power sector,” Tegbe said.

The government has also proposed establishing a Power Consumer Assistance Fund (PCAF) , established under the Electricity Act 2023, as the preferred mechanism for delivering targeted subsidies directly to vulnerable electricity users. The initiative is designed to channel financial support through consumers’ electricity accounts or other verified identity-linked platforms, improving transparency in subsidy administration while boosting investor confidence in the sector.

However, analysts note that ending the subsidy without imposing another sharp tariff increase will require widespread metering, lower transmission and distribution losses, improved collections, reliable supply, and targeted protection for poorer households. The government is also working to clear debts owed to power generation companies, with GenCos reportedly owed about N6.5 trillion and receiving only about 35 per cent of their monthly invoices.

In April 2024, NERC raised electricity tariffs for Band A customers from N66 to N225 per kilowatt-hour. The affected consumers were expected to receive at least 20 hours of electricity daily, while the adjustment was projected to reduce the government’s subsidy burden by about N1.14 trillion in 2024. Despite this adjustment, the subsidy bill for 2024 and 2025 combined still reached nearly N3 trillion.

N3.14 Trillion Spent on Electricity Subsidy in 31 Months – FG

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100 Days in Captivity: Borno Families Beg Tinubu, Zulum to Rescue 78 Abducted Students

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August 22, 2026

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100 Days in Captivity: Borno Families Beg Tinubu, Zulum to Rescue 78 Abducted Students
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

100 Days in Captivity: Borno Families Beg Tinubu, Zulum to Rescue 78 Abducted Students

Parents and community leaders say the children were taken from their schools while writing exams and deserve to come home alive—warning that Nigeria cannot allow mass kidnappings to become “normalized.”

Abuja, Nigeria — It has been 100 days of “sleepless nights, tears and fear” for the families of 78 students abducted in Borno State. On Friday, parents, community leaders, and concerned citizens gathered at the National Assembly to issue an emotional plea to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Babagana Umara Zulum: bring our children home.

The appeal, made under the theme “Bring Our Children Home: 100 Days of Horror, Pain and Suffering Is Enough,” highlighted two separate mass abductions that have left communities in Askira-Uba, Lassa, Buratai, and along the Chibok route traumatized.

“We stand before you today with broken hearts, but also with determination and an urgent demand: Bring our children home,” the group told journalists.

The 78 students were taken in two coordinated attacks on schools in Borno State—one of the regions hardest hit by Nigeria’s ongoing insurgency and banditry crisis.

On May 15, 2026, 42 pupils and students of Mussa Primary and Junior Day Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area were abducted. According to Senator Ali Ndume, the abductees included four students of Government Day Secondary School, 28 primary school pupils, and 10 children taken from their homes. The school is located on the fringes of Sambisa Forest, a known stronghold of Islamist militant groups.

Then, on June 29, 2026, tragedy struck again. Thirty-six students of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, were taken while writing their NECO examinations. The Borno State Police Command confirmed the attackers, suspected to be ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province), shot sporadically and abducted students. Reports indicate the gunmen wore military and forest guard uniforms to gain access. One teacher was killed during the attack, and students and women selling food within the school premises were also abducted.

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Beyond the school attacks, the families are also demanding the rescue of 38 persons kidnapped along Buratai Road to Maiduguri, as well as several other residents seized along the Chibok route and other vulnerable roads across the state, underscoring the widespread insecurity plaguing the region.

The families drew attention to a recent success story to bolster their plea: the rescue of abducted schoolchildren in Oyo State, who were taken on May 15 and rescued on July 10—just 56 days later—through an intelligence-led operation. “If it could be done in Oyo, it can be done in Borno,” the group said, adding, “We are not demanding preferential treatment, but equal protection under the law.” They warned that allowing the Borno abductions to drag on unresolved would send a dangerous signal that mass kidnappings are becoming normalized in Nigeria’s security crisis, a fate they are determined to resist.

The group presented a clear list of seven demands to President Tinubu and Governor Zulum. They called for immediate rescue operations for all Mussa and Lassa students, as well as the rescue of the Buratai Road victims and others abducted along the Chibok route. They also demanded regular updates to families on rescue efforts, increased protection for schools and highways, a sustained intelligence-led operation by all security agencies, the deployment of all available security resources to ensure safe return, and full coordination between state and federal security agencies. “We recognise the enormous security challenges confronting our nation. But the continued captivity of innocent children and civilians cannot be allowed to become another unresolved case,” they said.

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has met with parents of the abducted children and assured them that President Tinubu personally directed security agencies to ensure the safe recovery of the pupils. Zulum conveyed the President’s sympathy to the affected families and said authorities would deploy every necessary effort to bring the children home safely. However, with 100 days already passed, families are growing increasingly desperate. The Borno State Police Command had earlier deployed security operatives to comb the forest for the Lassa students, but no breakthrough has been announced, leaving families in agonizing uncertainty.

The abductions highlight the persistent security challenges facing northern Nigeria, where mass kidnappings for ransom and ideological purposes have become alarmingly frequent. Sambisa Forest remains a refuge for militant groups, schools have become soft targets for attackers, and rural communities feel abandoned by security forces. This sense of abandonment is compounded by the fact that over 100,000 police officers are reportedly assigned to VIP protection, leaving ordinary citizens vulnerable. The families ended their plea with a powerful warning: “We cannot allow the passage of time to reduce the urgency. Their lives matter. Their education matters. Their families matter. Their future matters.”

As the 100-day mark passes, pressure is mounting on both the federal and state governments to act decisively. The families have vowed to continue their advocacy until every child is returned safely. For now, the nation watches—and waits—to see whether Nigeria’s security apparatus can rise to the occasion and bring these children home.

100 Days in Captivity: Borno Families Beg Tinubu, Zulum to Rescue 78 Abducted Students

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