ASUU Branches in Sokoto Raise Alarm, Seek Urgent Government Intervention Over State Universities
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Sokoto State University and Shehu Shagari University of Education branches have called on the Sokoto State Government to urgently address lingering welfare and administrative issues affecting both institutions.
In a joint press statement released today, April 22, 2026, the unions said repeated appeals to the managements of the universities and the state Ministry for Higher Education had yielded no result, warning that continued neglect could disrupt academic activities.
Among the key demands raised by the lecturers is the immediate implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, including payment of peculiar allowances for teaching and research staff.
The unions also accused the state government of failing to pay Earned Academic Allowances owed to members for several academic sessions which according to the statement, lecturers at Sokoto State University are owed for the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 sessions, while those at Shehu Shagari University of Education are owed for the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 sessions.
They further decried the non-remittance of cooperative deductions and check-off dues deducted from workers’ salaries since 2023, saying the funds had yet to be paid into the union accounts.
ASUU also expressed concern that Shehu Shagari University of Education has operated without a Governing Council since its establishment in 2023, describing the situation as a violation of the Universities Act.
Other grievances include unpaid promotion arrears, unpaid 25 and 35 percent salary arrears covering 14 months from January 2024 to February 2025, and failure to implement annual salary increments since 2020.
The unions appealed to stakeholders in Sokoto State, including traditional leaders, to intervene and persuade the government to resolve the issues in the interest of industrial harmony and uninterrupted academic activities.
The statement was jointly signed by Bello Musa, Chairperson of ASUU-SSU, and Hamsu Kabiru, Chairperson of ASUU-SSUES.
