The Owerri Zone Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Imo State said police arrested and detained two top ASUU officials from the Imo State University (IMSU) on Tuesday.
The Owerri Zone chapter of the ASUU oversees IMSU in Imo State and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) in Anambra State.
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In a statement on Wednesday by ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Dennis Aribodor, the union said the arrested officials were Chinedu Egbuchu, the vice-chairman of the IMSU branch, and Nnamdi Chibo, its Investment Secretary.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the IMSU branch of ASUU declared a total and indefinite strike in the university on Monday over the Imo State Government’s failure to honour agreements reached with the union.
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In the Wednesday statement, the academic body explained that the two officials were arrested while monitoring compliance with the industrial action at the university’s Faculty of Media and Communication Studies.
“Information available to us indicates that the two executive members met the IMSU’s public relations officer at the faculty, where examinations were being conducted.
“There was no altercation or confrontation between the ASUU officials and the public relations officer.
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“However, the situation changed when the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the university arrived at the scene and physically took the Vice Chairman, Chinedu Egbuchu, and the Investment Secretary to the university’s security building, where police officers were already stationed,” the statement reads in part.
“They were questioned and taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), where they were detained for over seven hours before their bail was procured at N1 million bond each, with a directive to return to the State CID on Tuesday, 18 August 2026.”
ASUU said the IMSU branch of the union “is on a legitimate strike” after fulfilling all conditions for the strike’s commencement, as approved by the body’s National Executive Council.
The body recalled that the zonal Chapter of the union had organised a press conference to alert the public that, more than five months after commencing implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement, the agreement had yet to be implemented at IMSU and COOU, the two state-owned universities in ASUU Owerri Zone.
It said the union had also called on administrators of the universities, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and his Anambra State counterpart, Charles Soludo, to commence implementation to avert industrial disharmony, but received no response.
“Our Branch in IMSU issued a 21-Day ultimatum, and nothing was done. This was followed by a national visitation by our union, all in a bid to avert the strike.
“Now that the strike has commenced, what is expected of the administration of Imo State University is not intimidation.
“ASUU and her members can never be intimidated. Rather, the relevant authorities, including the Visitor to Imo State University, should apprehend the strike by implementing the 2025 Agreement,” it said.
ASUU warned the IMSU Vice-Chancellor, Chukwumaeze Uchefula, a professor, that it would hold him responsible if anything happened to any of its members or their families, insisting that their agitation is for his good and that of the university.
“There is no need for intimidation, and our union cannot succumb to intimidation.
“We reiterate our call to the Visitor of Imo State University, Governor Hope Uzodimma, to direct the implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement in Imo State University without further delay,” the statement added.
‘Explain arrest, detention of our executives’
The IMSU branch of ASUU has also condemned the arrest and detention of Messrs Egbuchu and Chibo.
At a press conference on Wednesday, the Chairman of the IMSU branch of the ASUU, Stephen Oguji, said the union officials must be able to carry out legitimate trade-union responsibilities without intimidation, harassment or unnecessary detention.
PREMIUM TIMES obtained a text of the press conference on Wednesday evening.
“If there were concerns about their conduct, those concerns could have been addressed through dialogue and established institutional procedures,” Mr Oguji said.
The chairman said the union has asked the Imo State Government, the management of IMSU and security operatives “to provide a clear and transparent explanation for the arrest and detention” of the ASUU officials.
READ ALSO: ASUU strike stalls examination in Nigerian university
According to him, the body has asked them to guarantee that ASUU officials would not be intimidated or victimised for carrying out legitimate union activities, and to ensure that no further action was taken that could escalate tensions within the university.
“Return immediately to meaningful dialogue and negotiation on the substantive issues responsible for the ongoing dispute,” he told the state government and IMSU management.
Mr Oguji called on authorities to ensure that the arrest and detention of the officials would not derail efforts toward a peaceful resolution.
“The arrest of union officials can only deepen mistrust, heighten tension and make negotiation more difficult.
“It risks shifting attention away from the real issues in dispute and prolonging the disruption to students and staff. We do not want confrontation. We want justice, respect and dialogue,” he said.
“We therefore urge the university management and government to demonstrate good faith by creating an atmosphere where both parties can return to the negotiating table without fear or intimidation.”
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