THE ONGOING nationwide strike by non-teaching university staff has entered its third day, crippling operations at campuses across the country, from the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC) to Kaduna State University (KASU).
Called by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), the industrial action has effectively paralysed essential services, administrative functions, and academic activities, leaving students caught in the crossfire of unresolved welfare disputes with the Federal Government.
At UNEC, the strike has triggered a complete shutdown of electricity, water supply, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services.
A visit by a correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) revealed that all administrative offices, including those of directors and the Deputy Vice Chancellor, were securely locked.
The disruption has severely hindered computer-assisted and ICT-based examinations, which cannot proceed despite some students gathering in lecture halls.
A staff member, speaking anonymously, warned that the campus has become unsafe and uncomfortable for residents, noting that the lack of basic services could spark violent protests from frustrated students. He urged the federal authorities to ensure uniform payment of salaries and entitlements, highlighting that many administrative staff hold advanced degrees and face the same living costs as their teaching counterparts.
One student, Friday Egba, expressed the shared ordeal: “We have to buy water, charge our phones and laptops at our own expense, and there is no free Wi-Fi. We are suffering for an issue that should not involve us in the first place.”
Similar scenes of paralysis are playing out at Kaduna State University (KASU), where administrative operations have ground to a halt.
Key departments handling student records, documentation, and other essential services have ceased functioning, leading to significant delays and uncertainty.
The strike, which began on May 1 following a nationwide directive from union leadership, persists despite the recent implementation of a new national minimum wage by the Federal Government.
A female staff member at KASU, however, noted that some workers still report to duty out of personal dedication.
Postgraduate students voiced acute anxiety over the disruption. Mr. Usman Sani lamented his inability to submit critical documents despite paying his fees, while Ms. Juliet Ekwenugo described her frustration after wasting money on transportation only to find classes locked by union officials.
She added that fellow students who travelled from as far as Abuja faced even greater hardship due to high transport costs, warning that the uncertainty could cause many to lose focus and become distracted from their academic goals.
The ongoing action by NASU and SSANU is part of a broader nationwide protest over the delayed renegotiation and implementation of the 2009 agreement with the Federal Government.
The unions continue to press for the resolution of lingering welfare issues, including unpaid salary arrears and improved conditions of service for their members across Nigerian universities, even as the human cost of the strike mounts daily on students and staff alike.
