ASUU declares indefinite strike at Taraba State University

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Taraba State University (TSU) announced a complete and indefinite strike on Monday due to the Taraba State Government's refusal to fulfill its demands regarding staff wages and salary arrears. The strike is set to begin on October 12, 2026, following the union's claims of persistent delays from the state government in adhering to its promises to university staff.

Dr. Joshua Garba Mbave, the chairman of ASUU-TSU, revealed this in a statement, stating that the union's primary demands include the immediate implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU remuneration agreement and the payment of all salary arrears accumulated from January 2026 until now. The union also emphasized the need for the full execution of the agreed remuneration structure, insisting that the government must honor its commitments to university workers.

According to Mbave, the union had patiently engaged with the Taraba State Government since February 2026, leading to the formation of a verification committee to assess the salary structure and the remuneration agreement's implementation across the North-East region. The committee concluded its work on September 24, 2026, but the union now sees no alternative but to initiate the strike due to the continued failures to implement the agreement, despite the completion of the verification process and other necessary steps.

ASUU-TSU clarified that this industrial action should not be seen as a rejection of dialogue and reiterated its openness to sincere, timely, and constructive engagement with the government and other stakeholders. The union, however, stressed that any subsequent negotiations must be committed to resolving the dispute definitively.

The statement urged the Taraba State Government to respect the completed processes and promptly implement the agreed remuneration framework and settle all outstanding salary arrears. The union's demands were directed towards ensuring fairness, safeguarding the dignity of university staff, and upholding agreements reached in good faith.