Dr. Kabiru Danladi Lawanti, a communication specialist and lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has decried what he described as the neglect of lecturers during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
In a Facebook post on Monday, confirmed by Kano Times, Dr. Lawanti alleged that Buhari and his administration punished lecturers in federal universities by withholding salaries for up to eight months.
He wrote, “Buhari and his gang of thieves punished lecturers in federal universities, leaving them to starve for eight months. I do not want to generalise or blame everyone in his team, because I am aware that some of his lieutenants made genuine efforts to persuade him to reconsider his decision, but the old man refused.”
Dr. Lawanti also claimed that the salary delays had dire consequences on lecturers’ lives, saying, “Many lecturers died because they could not fund their medical bills. May Allah have mercy on their souls.”
Reflecting on the current administration, he said that although President Bola Tinubu’s government has provided some relief, the gains have largely been eroded by inflation. “What Tinubu gave to lecturers has already been swallowed by inflation, yet lecturers are still relieved—largely because of the suffering they endured under Buhari and his gang of thieves,” he added.
Findings by Kano Times show that education sector unions, including the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), have engaged in industrial action for over 610 days, making it the longest in Nigeria’s democratic history. The previous longest strike occurred in 2020, lasting 270 days.
ASUU’s key demands included increased university funding, implementation of the 2009 agreement, and improved lecturers’ welfare. During Buhari’s administration, a “no work, no pay” policy was invoked, while in October 2023, President Tinubu approved the release of four months of the previously withheld salaries.
Dr. Lawanti concluded his post with a prayer, urging that lecturers never face another administration like Buhari’s. “We pray that lecturers never witness another Buhari era again,” he said.
