By: Adelowo Oladipo, Minna
The Vice-Chancellor of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, Prof. Mohammed Hadi Sulaiman, has said that the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Industrial Action at the institution is expected to be suspended following a fresh agreement reached among the relevant stakeholders.
Prof. Sulaiman disclosed this while briefing stakeholders after a meeting involving the Niger State Government, ASUU, the University Management and the University Governing Council.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, the meeting reviewed the complaints and demands raised by the academic staff union, with the parties reaching an understanding on the outstanding issues.
He said a communiqué had been issued and signed by the parties, paving the way for the next stage of the process.
“The next step, as contained in the communiqué, is for ASUU to immediately call off the strike,” Prof. Sulaiman said.
The Vice-Chancellor further disclosed that the IBBU branch of ASUU would convene a Congress meeting on Thursday ,October 1st, 2026, where members are expected to deliberate on the agreement and decide on the suspension of the industrial action.
He described the meeting as the final stage of a prolonged process aimed at resolving the dispute and restoring academic activities at the university.
Prof. Sulaiman stressed the importance of returning students to the classroom, citing the impact of prolonged academic disruption on their education and future prospects.
He also expressed concern about the broader consequences of keeping young people out of school amid the country’s security challenges, saying students should be allowed to remain engaged in their studies and work towards achieving their potential.
The development follows weeks of industrial action by ASUU-IBBU over outstanding issues relating to the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement.
The union had previously maintained that unresolved aspects of the agreement remained central to the dispute.
Prof. Sulaiman said the latest agreement provides an opportunity for the parties to bring the dispute to an end, while the outcome of the ASUU Congress will determine the immediate next step.
