The University of Abuja Alumni Association has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene and halt the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) plan to revoke a large portion of land allocated to the institution.
The association described the move as a serious threat to the university’s development and Nigeria’s educational heritage.
In June, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike announced that his administration had repossessed 7,000 hectares from the 11,800 hectares originally allocated to UniAbuja in 1988.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, the association’s president, Habeeb-Ullah Abdulkadir, condemned the action as unlawful, stressing that the land was crucial for academic infrastructure, research facilities, agricultural programmes, and long-term expansion plans.
Abdulkadir expressed concern that cutting the university’s land down to 4,000 hectares would drastically reduce its ability to expand, cater for its growing student population, and fulfil its role as a dual-mode institution offering both conventional and distance learning.
“This reckless action risks tarnishing Nigeria’s image in global academic circles and could jeopardise international partnerships that benefit our students and the nation,” he warned.
He urged President Tinubu, as the university’s visitor, to step in and direct the FCT minister to reverse the revocation.
Abdulkadir criticised Wike’s refusal to engage in dialogue with stakeholders, noting that the alumni had already written protest letters to the FCT minister, the Minister of Education, and the Presidency. Petitions have also been sent to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and other professional groups.
He cautioned developers to stay away from the disputed land and announced the launch of the Save UniAbuja Project, a coordinated legal, media, and public advocacy campaign.
The alumni, he said, are mobilising for an upcoming National Assembly public hearing and are prepared to organise peaceful protests, pursue legal action, and lodge petitions with both national and international bodies.
“We remain open to dialogue but will not be ignored. The University of Abuja belongs to all Nigerians, and its land is a national asset—not a political bargaining chip,” Abdulkadir insisted.
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