**Strike Hits UniCross as Workers Demand Unpaid Salaries** In a bid to draw attention to their plight, four major staff unions at the University of Cross River State (UniCross) have taken drastic measures by shutting down offices across the institution. The affected unions include Joint Action Congress (JAC), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), National Association of Academic Technicians (NAAT), and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU). These unions have been at loggerheads with the management over unpaid salaries. Despite repeated calls for the prompt payment of their salaries, workers have not received their January and February 2026 salaries. In fact, the December 2025 salary was only paid late in January 2026, leaving many to wonder when they will receive their outstanding salaries. The unions have no other option but to take drastic measures, including ordering workers to vacate offices and suspending all skeletal services. This move has brought activity to a standstill on campus, affecting both academic and non-academic staff, as well as students. The situation has sparked concerns among students, who fear that the industrial action may disrupt examinations scheduled to commence on Monday. Students, like Alfred Obeten, a Media Studies student, are appealing to the university authorities to urgently resolve the dispute to prevent further delays in the academic calendar. "This strike will again affect our academic progress. We appeal to management to pay the workers and avert a prolonged shutdown," he said. The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Francesca Bassey, has assured that management is making efforts to clear the salary backlog as soon as possible. However, the unions remain resolute in their demands, emphasizing that workers will not return to work until their outstanding salaries are settled. The UniCross strike is a stark reminder of the challenges facing the Nigerian education sector. The non-payment of workers' salaries is a recurring issue that affects not only UniCross but many other institutions across the country. The situation not only hampers academic progress but also undermines the morale of workers, ultimately affecting the quality of education provided.