The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the arrest and detention of two officials of its Imo State University (IMSU) branch, saying the union will continue to defend its members and pursue its demands despite the development.
The Coordinator of the Owerri Zone of ASUU, Prof. Dennis Aribodor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, made this known in a statement issued in Awka on Wednesday.
He identified the detained officials as the IMSU branch Vice Chairperson, Chinedu Egbuchu, and the Investment Secretary, Nnamdi Chibo.
Aribodor said the two union officials were arrested while carrying out monitoring activities connected to the ongoing strike at IMSU.
He explained that they had gone to the Faculty of Media and Communication Studies, where examinations were taking place, as part of the union's efforts to monitor compliance with the industrial action.
He said the officials later encountered the university's Public Relations Officer at the faculty.
According to him, the situation escalated after the university's Chief Security Officer arrived and took the two ASUU officials to the institution's security building, where police officers were present.
The union coordinator said Egbuchu and Chibo were later taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department for questioning and remained in detention for more than seven hours.
He disclosed that the two officials were eventually released on bail after each was required to provide a N1 million bond.
They were also instructed to return to the State CID on August 18, 2026.
Aribodor maintained that the IMSU branch had followed the required union procedures before embarking on the strike.
He said the industrial action was approved after efforts to resolve the issues affecting the university failed to produce the desired result.
He recalled that the Owerri Zone had raised concerns in June over the delay in implementing the 2025 agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU at IMSU and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University.
According to him, more than five months had passed since the implementation of the agreement began, yet several issues concerning the two state-owned universities remained unresolved.
He said the union had previously called on the university managements, governing councils and relevant authorities to act on the agreement and prevent a dispute from turning into an industrial crisis.
Aribodor said the IMSU branch later issued a 21-day ultimatum before proceeding with the strike. He added that ASUU also carried out a national visitation to the university in an attempt to find a solution and prevent the industrial action.
With the strike now in progress, the ASUU coordinator urged the IMSU administration and other authorities to focus on resolving the issues behind the dispute instead of taking actions that could worsen the situation.
He also warned that the Owerri Zone would hold the Vice Chancellor of IMSU, Prof. Uchefula Ugonna Chukwumaeze, responsible for the safety of ASUU members and their families if any harm came to them.
Aribodor said the union's demands were aimed at improving conditions at the university and ensuring the implementation of an agreement already reached with the Federal Government.
He appealed to the Visitor to IMSU, Governor Hope Uzodimma, to intervene and ensure that the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement is implemented at the university.
The ASUU coordinator urged all parties to return to dialogue and address the issues responsible for the strike, saying that resolving the dispute would be better than using security measures against union officials.
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