Lecturers at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) have appealed to the Federal Ministry of Education for urgent intervention in the escalating vice-chancellorship crisis on December 9, 2025, citing defiance of court orders and leadership paralysis. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU-UNIZIK) condemned the institution's management for disregarding rulings reinstating Prof. Bernard Odoh sacked amid 2024 controversies over his professorship credentials and recruitment while acting VC Prof. Anthony Anike clings to power, halting academic progress.
The saga traces to Odoh's disputed appointment from Federal University Gusau, where fraud allegations surfaced post his brief tenure, sparking protests, lawsuits, and rival claims. Faculty decried flouted National Industrial Court judgments affirming Odoh's status, warning of stalled promotions, research funding, and student welfare amid factional standoffs.
ASUU urged Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa to enforce compliance, dissolve interim panels, and restore order, positioning the impasse as a threat to UNIZIK's accreditation and Southeast education standards.