Tension erupted at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) on Monday as members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) stormed examination halls, halting all ongoing exams in compliance with the union’s new nationwide strike directive.
The disruption followed the national body’s order for an immediate two-week warning strike, which took effect across federal universities.
Students, who were in the middle of their semester examinations, were left stranded and confused as lecturers suddenly stopped the process and walked out of exam halls.
“Every exam in the faculty has been cancelled,” a student told Sahara Reporters under anonymity. “No more exams till after two weeks. UNIBEN ASUU has mobilised its members to disrupt any ongoing exams. The strike started immediately.”
The national leadership of ASUU had announced the two-week warning strike to protest the Federal Government’s alleged failure to honour agreements on university funding, earned allowances, and the implementation of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).
In reaction, the Federal Government warned that it would implement the “no work, no pay” policy against any academic staff who participates in the strike.
In a joint statement released Sunday, the Minister of Education, Prof. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmed, accused ASUU of abandoning dialogue despite what they described as the government’s “genuine and consistent efforts” to address the union’s demands.
The ministers appealed to ASUU to reconsider its action, insisting that dialogue remains the best path to resolving lingering issues within the tertiary education system.
However, as the strike commenced, the Ministry of Education issued a fresh circular dated October 13, 2025, directing all vice-chancellors of federal universities to strictly enforce the “no work, no pay” rule.
The circular, signed by Dr. Tunji Alausa, ordered university administrators to take attendance of all academic staff, identifying those participating in or abstaining from the strike, and submit compliance reports to the ministry.
