The incident occurred at multiple lecture venues across the campus, where ASUU members entered halls during final-year exams and instructed invigilators and students to stop proceedings. 

According to reports from the scene, the disruption affected several departments, including those in the faculties of Arts, Social Sciences, and Sciences, impacting hundreds of students preparing for their semester assessments.

ASUU’s strike, which commenced on August 5, 2024, stems from unresolved grievances with the Federal Government, including the non-release of N200 billion in earned academic allowances, failure to implement the 2009 ASUU-Federal Government Agreement, and the ongoing casualization of academic staff. 

The union has accused the government of neglecting university funding and welfare, leading to widespread academic disruptions in public universities nationwide.

A UNIBEN ASUU spokesperson stated that the action was necessary to enforce compliance with the strike directive, emphasizing that no lectures or exams can proceed until demands are met. 

“We regret the inconvenience to our students, but the government’s inaction leaves us no choice,” the spokesperson said.University management confirmed the disruptions and appealed for calm, noting that affected exams would be rescheduled once the strike is suspended. 

The Vice-Chancellor’s office issued a statement urging dialogue: “UNIBEN remains committed to the academic calendar and calls on all parties to resume negotiations promptly.”Students expressed frustration over the development, with one final-year student telling reporters, “We’ve already lost weeks to this strike; now our exams are postponed again. 

It’s affecting our graduation plans.” No arrests or clashes were reported, and campus security monitored the situation to prevent escalation.

The strike has paralyzed activities at over 20 federal universities, including UNIBEN, with similar enforcement actions reported at institutions like the University of Lagos and Ahmadu Bello University. 

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has scheduled further talks with ASUU for later this month, but the union insists on concrete commitments before calling off the action.

ASUU has vowed to continue the strike until the government addresses their demands in full. Updates on exam rescheduling will be announced via official UNIBEN channels.