The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Abuja branch, has warned that it may take industrial action over an ongoing land dispute involving the institution and the Federal Capital Territory Administration.

The branch chairman, Dr Sylvanus Ugoh, issued the warning during a press conference in Abuja, demanding that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike reverse the alleged allocation of portions of the university’s land to private individuals and companies.

Ugoh said the union would pursue legal measures to resist what it described as an unlawful takeover of the institution’s property, warning that industrial harmony on the campus could no longer be guaranteed if the disputed allocations were not reversed.

The union also accused the minister of disregarding an interlocutory injunction reportedly issued by the Maitama High Court on August 18, 2026, restraining him from entering or encroaching on the university’s land.

The dispute dates back to June 30, 2025, when Wike announced plans to recover 7,000 hectares from the approximately 11,000 hectares reportedly allocated to the university.

The minister had accused the institution of fencing off portions of land without the necessary approvals and documentation.

However, ASUU maintained that the Federal Government allocated 11,824 hectares to the university at its establishment in 1988, adding that it possessed documentary evidence and geographical coordinates confirming the allocation.

The union argued that the land was essential for the institution’s future expansion, including the development of academic facilities, research centres, innovation hubs and other infrastructure.

It also explained that some portions of the property consisted of hills and mountainous terrain, while other areas served as green spaces necessary for environmental protection and biodiversity.

ASUU further argued that the University of Abuja was a Federal Government institution held in trust for Nigerians and that its land should not be treated as property belonging to the FCT Administration.

The union alleged that despite the court injunction, portions of the disputed land were allocated to private companies and individuals on September 26, 2026.

It therefore called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene by directing Wike to halt further allocations and reverse those already made, warning that failure to resolve the matter could disrupt academic activities.

The union said it acknowledged the FCT Administration’s infrastructure development efforts but insisted that protecting the university’s property was necessary to preserve its long-term academic and research objectives.