The Tutorial Workers Union of Analysis Establishments (ASURI) has declared an instantaneous and indefinite strike.
The motion is in protest towards what the union described because the “illegal” retirement of some senior analysis administrators.
The event was communicated in a proper discover addressed to the Director Normal of the institute. The union made it clear that actions on the facility can be grounded.
It additionally warned that picketing of the institute would start with out additional discover. ASURI mentioned it has additionally activated a proper commerce dispute course of over what it known as violations of the 2019 Situations of Service.
The discover, signed by the Secretary-Normal of ASURI, Professor Theophilus Ndubuaku, strongly criticised the administration’s resolution. In keeping with the union, the transfer to retire prime researchers based mostly on an eight-year tenure coverage was fallacious and unacceptable.
“The Nationwide Secretariat of the Tutorial Workers Union of Analysis Establishments (ASURI) notes with profound disappointment your resolution to problem retirement letters to Analysis/Tutorial Cadre Administrators based mostly on the eight-year tenure coverage.
“This motion, taken regardless of our formal advisory dated third March 2026, is compounded by an unconscionable plot to throw these high-caliber scientists and their households onto the streets via a directive to vacate official quarters. Such maneuvers represent a direct betrayal of the cooperative posture ASURI has maintained to make sure industrial concord on the Institute.
“We discover it deeply regrettable that, as a former Vice-Chancellor, you have got allowed administrative issues regarding tutorial employees to be dictated by the Director of Administration. In a college surroundings, which mirrors our statutory framework, such issues are overseen by an Tutorial Professor as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) to stop the precise malice and bitterness at present exhibited towards tutorial employees at NIMR.
“By permitting the Inside Administration Committee — which must be populated by tutorial administrators — to stay comatose, you have got permitted a non-academic officer to misadvise your workplace and subvert the statutory protections governing the Analysis/Tutorial Cadre.
“Your try to implement a coverage that has been conclusively addressed, negotiated, and resolved via ministerial intervention is an actionable industrial provocation. ASURI won’t stand by whereas the profession development and livelihoods of its members are illegally terminated in breach of the 65-year retirement age established by the Workplace of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).
“The accountability for the full breakdown of commercial concord at NIMR rests solely together with your administration for failing to hunt obligatory clarification from the OHCSF earlier than taking malicious and untoward motion,” the discover concluded.
The union insisted that the affected administrators had been nonetheless inside the legally permitted retirement age. It argued that forcing them out based mostly on tenure coverage contradicts current civil service guidelines. ASURI warned that the scenario may cripple crucial medical analysis work if not urgently addressed.
Sources inside the institute mentioned the looming strike could have an effect on ongoing analysis initiatives and laboratory actions. There are additionally considerations that public well being research dealt with by the institute might be delayed.
Reacting to the event, the administration of NIMR defended its motion. The institute maintained that it solely carried out directives from the Federal Authorities via the suitable authorities.
Talking on behalf of the administration, Media Marketing consultant Sam Eferaro mentioned: “In regards to the 8 12 months time period, NIMR is solely implementing the Federal Authorities coverage as directed by the Head of civil service and the ministry of well being. Administration would therefor advise the union to direct its concern to the suitable quarter, on this case, the Head of Civil Service.”
The response reveals a transparent disagreement between each side. Whereas the union is demanding a reversal of the retirements, administration insists it adopted due course of.