Academic activities at Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM), Benue State, have been suspended following the declaration of a total and comprehensive strike by the university’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The union announced the strike with immediate effect after a congress held on August 12, 2026, citing outstanding salaries and alleged underpayment of some components of members’ entitlements.
Tagged “No-Pay-No-Work,” the strike means there will be no teaching, student supervision, examinations, statutory meetings or other academic activities at the university until the dispute is resolved.
But what led to the strike?
According to a statement signed by the ASUU-JOSTUM Chairperson, Terseer Abari, the university has not fully paid the salary components contained in the 2025 agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU.
The union said the university had paid the Consolidated Academic Staff Salaries and the Earned Academic Allowance components.
However, it said the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) and Professorial Allowance had only been paid for January and February 2026, while only 39 per cent of the CATA for March 2026 had been paid.
ASUU-JOSTUM described the situation as an underpayment of members’ salaries and called on the appropriate authorities to settle the outstanding payments.
The union said its decision followed the National Executive Council resolution of August 8–9, 2026, which provided the basis for the branch to commence industrial action if the outstanding issues were not addressed.
With the strike now in effect, students at JOSTUM are expected to experience a disruption to lectures, examinations, supervision and other academic activities.
ASUU-JOSTUM said the industrial action would remain in force until all outstanding salaries owed its members are paid.
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