The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Yobe State University branch, has warned that it may activate lawful industrial action if the Yobe State Government continues to ignore key provisions of a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the union in July 2025.

The union made its position known during a press briefing in Damaturu on Thursday, where its Chairperson, Comrade Muhammad Adamu, outlined a series of unresolved welfare concerns that have persisted despite repeated engagements with the state government.

Adamu recalled that the union had embarked on industrial action in July 2025 before reaching a truce with the government and formalising an agreement on July 29, 2025. He noted that while some provisions of the MoU had been implemented, several critical commitments remained unfulfilled.

Chief among the outstanding issues is the non payment of promotion arrears accumulated between 2018 and 2024. "The Yobe State Government acknowledged the legitimacy of our claim and committed itself to offsetting the accumulated promotion arrears arising from delayed implementation of staff promotions spanning five years. Unfortunately, this commitment remains largely unfulfilled," he stated.

The union also flagged the non implementation of salary packages approved under the 2025 ASUU and Federal Government agreement, including the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance, professorial allowances and the mainstreaming of an 11% annual salary component as Earned Academic Allowance. Adamu said the matter was tabled before the state government at a meeting convened by the Acting Secretary to the State Government, Dr Mohammed Goje, on May 15, 2026, but no response had been received.

ASUU further accused the government of failing to pay arrears from the 35% and 25% salary awards approved for professors and non professorial academic staff, respectively, as well as the ₦70,000 wage award. The union noted that although the salary award was eventually implemented at the university in July 2025, two years after its approval, accumulated arrears remained unpaid.

The union warned that deteriorating welfare conditions were fuelling an exodus of experienced academics from the institution, with senior lecturers, readers and professors leaving for universities and organisations offering better remuneration.

"The salaries and allowances of academic staff in Yobe State University have become increasingly uncompetitive when compared with those of their counterparts in many public universities," Adamu noted, warning that continued losses could damage the university's teaching, research and accreditation standing.

ASUU urged the government to act without delay. "We urge government to act expeditiously in the interest of industrial peace, stability of the academic calendar and the survival of Yobe State University," the chairperson added.