By Praise Chinecherem
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Owerri Zone, has condemned the arrest and detention of two officials of the union at Imo State University (IMSU), declaring that its members would not be intimidated in the course of carrying out their legitimate duties.
The Coordinator of the zone, Prof. Dennis Aribodor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, identified the detained officials as the IMSU ASUU Vice Chairperson, Chinedu Egbuchu, and Investment Secretary, Nnamdi Chibo.
In a statement issued in Awka, Aribodor warned that the Vice Chancellor of IMSU, Prof. Uchefula Ugonna Chukwumaeze, would be held responsible if anything happened to the affected officials or their family members.
According to him, the two ASUU officials were monitoring activities at the Faculty of Media and Communication Studies, where examinations were being conducted, when they encountered the university’s Public Relations Officer.
“Information available to us indicates that the two EXCO 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. However, the situation changed when the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the university arrived at the scene and physically took the Vice Chairperson, Chinedu Egbuchu, and the Investment Secretary to the university’s security building, where police officers were already stationed,” he said.
Aribodor alleged that the two officials were subsequently questioned and taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), where they were detained for more than seven hours.
He said they were later granted bail on a N1 million bond each and directed to return to the State CID on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.
The ASUU coordinator maintained that the IMSU branch embarked on the ongoing strike after fulfilling all conditions for commencing the industrial action as approved by the union’s National Executive Council (NEC).
He recalled that ASUU Owerri Zone had, in June, alerted the public that more than five months after implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement commenced, the agreement was yet to be implemented in two state-owned universities within the zone — Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) and IMSU.
He said the union had urged the university administrations, governing councils and visitors to the institutions to commence implementation of the agreement to avert industrial disharmony.
According to him, the IMSU branch subsequently issued a 21-day ultimatum, while the union also undertook a national visitation to the institution in an effort to resolve the matter and prevent the strike.
“Now that the strike has commenced, what is expected from 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 implement the 2025 agreement,” he said.
The Coordinator called on the authorities to address the issues that triggered the strike instead of taking measures capable of escalating the dispute.
He said the struggle by ASUU at IMSU was ultimately aimed at improving the university and urged the institution’s management to embrace dialogue.
Aribodor appealed to the Visitor to IMSU and Governor Hope Uzodimma to direct the immediate implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement at the university.
Tags: ASUU, IMSU, Imo State, Industrial Action, Universities
