The serene atmosphere of Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), was shattered on Thursday, October 9, 2025, as the institution’s non-academic staff took to the streets in a massive protest, issuing a stern ultimatum to the government over unresolved welfare concerns.
The protest, led by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), followed a directive from their national headquarters.
It marked a major escalation in the long-standing grievances between the unions and the government.
Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Our Patience Has Expired” and “Education Sector Is More Than Just Lecturers,” the protesters marched through the university campus, demanding immediate government intervention.
Speaking during the protest, Comrade Dr. Danjuma Mohammed Namalama, Chairman of NASU, declared that non-academic staff would no longer tolerate being sidelined.
“We say no to continued marginalization.
The non-academic staff, the administrators, the technicians, the librarians, the security,are the engine room of this university. Without us, the entire system grinds to a halt, yet we are treated as second-class citizens,” he said.
On his part, the JAC Chairman and SSANU leader, Comrade Simon Yakubu, issued a strong warning that the unions might embark on an indefinite strike if their demands are not met.
> “The government’s refusal to engage with our legitimate demands is not just an insult but a provocation. We are left with no choice but to shut down all services if immediate action is not taken,” Yakubu stated.
Adding his voice, Comrade Suleiman Buhari, Deputy President of the Universities and Inter-University Centres, lamented the government’s failure to fulfill previous agreements despite multiple meetings and assurances.
Although specific details of the unions’ demands were not publicly outlined, insider sources disclosed that they center on the implementation of the new minimum wage arrears, payment of outstanding allowances, and addressing funding disparities between academic and non-academic staff.
A potential strike, analysts warn, could cripple administrative operations, disrupt water and power supplies, close libraries and laboratories, and paralyze security services—bringing the institution’s activities to a total standstill.
The Keffi protest forms part of a nationwide mobilization by NASU and SSANU, signaling growing frustration across Nigerian universities over what unions describe as “systemic neglect” by the government.
As tension mounts, attention now turns to the Federal Government’s response. Whether it acts swiftly to avert a looming crisis—or allows the standoff to escalate—remains to be seen.
For now, the unions have made their position clear: “The ball is in the government’s court.”
