Abia State University Professor Suspended Over Facebook Criticism Of Staff Welfare, Lawyer Protests | Sahara Reporters
The lawyer described Nwaeze’s suspension as an attack on free speech and demanded the professor’s immediate and unconditional reinstatement.
A human rights lawyer, Ikechukwu Obasi, has condemned the suspension of Professor Nnamdi Chinwendu Nwaeze by Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu, over his Facebook post where he criticised the management’s handling of staff welfare and working conditions.
The lawyer described Nwaeze’s suspension as an attack on free speech and demanded the professor’s immediate and unconditional reinstatement.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the university suspended Nwaeze of the Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, following social media posts in which he criticised the alleged poor welfare and remuneration of academic staff at the institution.
The university announced the suspension in a statement issued on Thursday, August 13, 2026, by its Deputy Registrar and Public Relations Officer, Chijioke Nwogu.
The suspension came after Nwaeze, in a social media post on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, addressed the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Abia State University branch, and raised concerns over the conditions of service of lecturers at the institution.
Nwaeze said ASUU-ABSU had “downed tools in what it described as a total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike,” adding that some staff members had previously refrained from publicly discussing the situation because their concerns could have been dismissed as political statements.
He alleged that ASUU-ABSU members were among the least-paid university lecturers in Nigeria and claimed they were still being paid under the 2009 ASUU/FG Salary Structure.
Nwaeze also alleged that lecturers promoted between 2023 and 2026 had not received salaries reflecting their new ranks, while some union members had allegedly gone as long as 44 months without receiving their salaries.
He further claimed that arrears were not being paid, union dues deducted by the government were not being remitted to ASUU, and that lecturers at ABSU had never received Earned Academic Allowances in the history of the university.
Nwaeze also alleged that about N163 million in cooperative deductions was owed by the government.
Condemning Nwaeze’s suspension in a statement issued on Friday, Barrister Obasi said, “While I respect the institution’s disciplinary powers, I strongly condemn in clear terms the arbitrary suspension over mere fair comments on social media criticising the welfare and working conditions of staff in flagrant violation of his right to freedom of expression as guaranteed under section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution.”
The lawyer argued that the professor’s comments constitute legitimate criticism of economic realities confronting Nigerian workers rather than an offence warranting suspension.
“A close review of the content of the post pinpoints to the fact that he was making a fair comment on obvious economic realities the Nigerian proletariat (working class) face,” he said.
Obasi further accused the university management of violating Nwaeze’s constitutional rights and the principles of fair hearing.
“Consequently, I view his arbitrary suspension as a gross abuse of power, a violation of Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which guarantees freedom of expression, and a direct assault on the outright requirement of fair hearing in all administrative adjudication in line with Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution,” he said.
The lawyer maintained that universities should provide an environment where academics can freely debate issues affecting their institutions and society.
“A university ought to be a citadel of learning, debate, and critical engagement. It cannot and should not become a place where lecturers are punished for speaking up/speaking truth to power, especially on issues inimical to the welfare and livelihood of workers as well as qualitative education,” Obasi said.
He called on Abia State Governor, Alex Otti; the National Universities Commission (NUC); ASUU; the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); trade unions; the Federal Ministry of Education; and human rights advocates, including Omoyele Sowore, to intervene in the matter.
Obasi demanded the immediate and unconditional reversal of Nwaeze’s suspension and his reinstatement by the university management.
He also demanded the withdrawal of what he described as punitive measures against Nwaeze and urged the university to “cease and desist” from further victimisation.
The lawyer called for dialogue between ABSU management, ASUU-ABSU and other members of staff to address the concerns that triggered the controversy.
He warned that using disciplinary measures to silence lecturers could worsen rather than resolve the university’s challenges.
“There should be an abrupt end to the unfortunate culture of intimidation and victimisation of dissenting voices,” he said.
“Intimidation of lecturers to silence them will not solve the problems in ABSU. It will only undermine staff morale, quality education, and damage the reputation of the university.
“An injury to one remains an injury to all. Today it is Economics, tomorrow it could be any department.”