Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu, has referred Professor Nnamdi Chinwendu Nwaeze to its Governing Council Staff Disciplinary Committee, weeks after lifting his suspension over social media posts criticizing the welfare and remuneration of lecturers.
Nwaeze, a Professor of Development Economics in the Department of Economics, is scheduled to appear before the committee at 10:30 am today, Friday, October 2, 2026, at the Vice-Chancellor’s Conference Room, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The development comes about six weeks after the university suspended him over his public criticism of poor working conditions, unpaid salaries, and promotion arrears. Those grievances led the ASUU branch at ABSU to begin a total and indefinite strike on August 11, 2026.
It also follows Governor Alex Otti’s public apology over the strike, in which he acknowledged that the lecturers’ demands were legitimate.
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Documents released to the press show that the process against Nwaeze continued even after his suspension was lifted, and was expanded to include an allegation of “Duty Abscondment.” According to a September 10 memo, signed by Uka U. Uka, Deputy Registrar and Secretary of the Panel on Duty Abscondment, it was titled “Invitation To A Discussion.” It said the panel was investigating “Duty Abscondment and Social Media Commentaries against the interest of the University.”
The meeting was fixed for September 16 at the Board Room of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, with copies to the panel chairman and the Head of the Department of Economics.
The September 30th memo, signed by Acting Registrar Dr. (Mrs.) J.C. Nwankwo showed the matter had reached the Governing Council Staff Disciplinary Committee. “You are invited to appear before the Governing Council Staff Disciplinary Committee meeting scheduled as follows,” it read. The memo was also copied to the Pro-Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor and other principal officers.
Sources say the proceedings could end in his dismissal, alleging he is being targeted for his outspokenness and objective criticism of the treatment of academic staff.
Nwaeze’s supporters have dismissed the duty abscondment allegation. They insist he completed his semester teaching, submitted students’ results, and supervised undergraduate and postgraduate students as required.
They described the continued proceedings as an attempt to punish him for raising concerns about lecturers’ welfare, especially after the Governor himself admitted the grievances behind the strike were legitimate.
Several news outlets reported on August 13th that ABSU had suspended Nwaeze over his social media posts. In a statement, the university’s Deputy Registrar and Public Relations Officer, Chijioke Nwogu, said the posts were “inimical to the interests of the University and uncomplimentary to the Visitor of the University.”
The university said it had also set up an investigative panel and that the suspension would take immediate effect “pending the outcome of the investigation.”
Nwaeze made the posts while commenting on the strike. He alleged that:
* ABSU lecturers are among the lowest-paid in Nigeria and are still on the 2009 ASUU/FG salary structure.
* Lecturers promoted between 2023 and 2026 have not been paid at their new ranks.
* Some academic staff have gone as long as 44 months without salaries.
* Salary arrears are unpaid, union dues deducted from workers are not remitted to ASUU, and lecturers have never received Earned Academic Allowances.
* About N163 million in cooperative deductions is owed by the government.
“Let me be blunt at this time. Did you know that most professors in ABSU earn less than N400k monthly?” he wrote. He compared professors’ pay with that of commercial tricycle operators, saying a Keke driver earning N15,000 daily could make more than a professor. He also claimed that over 85 per cent of lecturers no longer drive their cars and that staff were effectively subsidizing the government.
“All men of good conscience should plead with the Abia State government to pay ASUU-ABSU staff their due pay and end this strike within the shortest time,” he added.
After his suspension, he said: “In life, somebody must pay the price for the liberation of others.” He added: “Don’t sympathize with me; instead, direct your sympathy to the paymasters.”
The proceedings come against the backdrop of Governor Otti’s August 28 apology. Speaking at a public lecture at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, he said the strike was avoidable.
The strike followed unresolved welfare issues and a wider ASUU directive over the “haphazard implementation” of the 2025 renegotiated federal-state agreement.
Otti said the lecturers’ demands were legitimate and had been approved, but bureaucratic delays and administrative bottlenecks stopped prompt implementation. “I want to, on this podium, apologize to Abia State University as well. That strike was avoidable. The reality is that the buck stops here. So, we failed. I failed. I failed them,” he said.
Following pressure from the ABSU ASUU branch, the university lifted Nwaeze’s suspension, though management maintained its investigation would continue.
The university has not disclosed which specific posts it considers inimical to its interests or uncomplimentary to the Governor. It has also not publicly stated the outcome of its investigation into his posts, nor explained the circumstances behind the new duty abscondment allegation.
It has likewise not responded to concerns from commentators and stakeholders about the multiple investigations.
