Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu, has escalated disciplinary proceedings against Professor Nnamdi Chinwendu Nwaeze, weeks after lifting his suspension over social media posts criticising the welfare and remuneration of lecturers at the institution.
Nwaeze, a professor in the Department of Economics, is now scheduled to appear before the university’s Governing Council Staff Disciplinary Committee on Friday, October 2, 2026, according to an internal memo obtained by SaharaReporters.
The development comes about six weeks after the university suspended Nwaeze following his public criticism of alleged poor working conditions, unpaid salaries and promotion arrears affecting academic staff.
It also comes shortly after Abia State Governor Alex Otti publicly apologised over the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike at the institution, acknowledging that the lecturers’ demands were legitimate and that his administration had approved interventions that were not properly implemented.
Documents obtained by SaharaReporters show that while Nwaeze’s suspension was subsequently lifted following pressure from the university’s ASUU branch, the disciplinary process against him continued and was expanded to include an allegation of “Duty Abscondment”.
An internal memo dated September 10, 2026, signed by Uka U. Uka, Deputy Registrar and Secretary of the Panel on Duty Abscondment, invited Nwaeze to appear before an investigative panel.
The memo was titled “Invitation To A Discussion” and informed the professor that the panel was investigating allegations of “Duty Abscondment and Social Media Commentaries against the interest of the University”.
The meeting was scheduled for September 16 at the Board Room of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences.
The memo was copied to the Chairman of the panel and the Head of the Department of Economics.
A second memo dated September 30, 2026, signed by the Acting Registrar, Dr. (Mrs.) J.C. Nwankwo, indicates that the matter has now progressed to the university’s Governing Council Staff Disciplinary Committee.
“You are invited to appear before the Governing Council Staff Disciplinary Committee meeting scheduled as follows,” the memo stated.
The committee is scheduled to meet at 10:30am on Friday, October 2, at the Vice-Chancellor’s Conference Room.
The memo was copied to the Pro-Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and other principal officers of the university.
Sources told SaharaReporters that the disciplinary proceedings could lead to Nwaeze’s dismissal, alleging that the university was targeting him because of his outspoken criticism of the treatment of academic staff.
Supporters of the professor have rejected the allegation of duty abscondment, insisting that he completed his semester teaching responsibilities, submitted students’ results and supervised project students as required.
They described the continued proceedings as an attempt to punish Nwaeze for publicly raising concerns over lecturers’ welfare, particularly after the governor himself acknowledged the legitimacy of the grievances that triggered the strike.
Nwaeze’s Suspension Over Social Media Posts
SaharaReporters had reported on August 13 that ABSU suspended Nwaeze following social media posts in which he criticised the alleged poor welfare and remuneration of lecturers.
In a statement issued by the university’s Deputy Registrar and Public Relations Officer, Chijioke Nwogu, the institution said the suspension followed concerns arising from “various social media posts attributed to Professor Nwaeze, which is inimical to the interests of the University and uncomplimentary to the Visitor of the University.”
The university said it had also constituted an investigative panel to consider the matter.
“The suspension takes immediate effect pending the outcome of the investigation by the Panel,” the university said at the time.
Nwaeze had made the posts while commenting on the indefinite strike declared by the ABSU branch of ASUU over outstanding welfare demands.
He alleged that lecturers at ABSU were among the least-paid university lecturers in Nigeria and claimed they were still being paid under the 2009 ASUU/FG salary structure.
He also alleged that lecturers promoted between 2023 and 2026 had not received salaries reflecting their new ranks, while some academic staff had allegedly gone for as long as 44 months without receiving their salaries.
Nwaeze further alleged that salary arrears were not being paid, union dues deducted from workers were not being remitted to ASUU and that lecturers at the university had never received Earned Academic Allowances.
He also claimed that about N163 million in cooperative deductions was owed by the government.
“Let me be blunt at this time. Did you know that most professors in ABSU earn less than N400k monthly?” Nwaeze wrote in the post that preceded his suspension.
He compared the alleged earnings of professors with those of commercial tricycle operators, saying a Keke driver earning N15,000 daily could make more than a professor at the university.
Nwaeze also claimed that more than 85 per cent of lecturers no longer drove their cars and accused staff of effectively subsidising the government in the performance of their duties.
“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 wrote.
Following his suspension, Nwaeze 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 university did not disclose the specific social media posts it considered inimical to its interests or uncomplimentary to the governor beyond its reference to the posts generally.
Otti Apologises Over ASUU Strike
The disciplinary proceedings against Nwaeze also come against the backdrop of Governor Otti’s August 28 apology to the university community over the strike.
Speaking at a public lecture at the International Conference Centre in Umuahia, Otti said the industrial action at ABSU was avoidable.
The strike had followed unresolved welfare issues involving lecturers, amid a wider directive by the national body of ASUU over what it described as the “haphazard implementation” of the 2025 renegotiated agreement between the federal and state governments.
Otti said the demands presented by ASUU were legitimate and that his administration had approved them, but bureaucratic delays and administrative bottlenecks prevented their prompt implementation.
“I want to, on this podium, apologise 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,” Otti said.
Under pressure from the university’s ASUU branch, ABSU subsequently lifted Nwaeze’s suspension, although the management maintained that its investigation would continue.
The latest documents indicate that the disciplinary process has continued despite the lifting of the suspension and has now reached the Governing Council Staff Disciplinary Committee.
Nwaeze’s supporters have questioned the basis of the new duty abscondment allegation, maintaining that he fulfilled his academic responsibilities during the period in question.
The university has not publicly stated the outcome of the investigation into Nwaeze’s social media posts or explained the specific circumstances surrounding the new allegation of duty abscondment.
The professor is expected to appear before the Governing Council Staff Disciplinary Committee on Friday.