Minimum wage: States move to avert NLC strike - Newstrends
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Minimum wage: States move to avert NLC strike

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Minimum wage: States move to avert NLC strike

State governments that have not yet implemented the new minimum wage are scrambling to meet the December 1 deadline set by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

This is sequel to a warning from the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) of potential confrontations with non-compliant states.

As the deadline approached, Katsina and Nasarawa States approved the immediate implementation of the new N70,000 minimum wage. They said workers would start receiving the revised salaries in December.

The Katsina State Government reached an agreement with labour unions on Friday after intense negotiations, averting the planned strike.

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule approved N70,500 as the new minimum wage for state workers, following discussions and approval by the state committee on the new national minimum wage.

The approval was announced by the chairman of the committee, who is also the state’s deputy governor, Emmanuel Akabe, during a meeting with committee members in Lafia, the state capital.

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had, on October 14, announced N73,000 as the new minimum wage for all civil servants in Ondo.

The acting chairman of the NLC in the state, Ademola Olapade, yesterday said the new minimum wage would be paid with the November salary of the government workers.

Gombe NLC mum as LG workers decry non-implementation

The Gombe State chapter of the NLC has remained silent regarding the non-implementation of the N71,451 new minimum wage for local government employees.

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In October, the state government signed an agreement with the labour to introduce the new wage structure for all civil servants in the state.

While the implementation began on October 30 for state civil servants, the adjustments varied significantly across cadres.

For instance, a Level 03 worker receives N64,000 after deductions; and Level 12, N78,000.

However, local government employees, who received their salaries two weeks into November, saw an increase of N12,000 on the old minimum wage of N18,000, bringing their total to just N31,000-far below the agreed-upon N71,451.

When contacted over the discrepancy, the state NLC chairman, Yusuf Aish Bello, did not respond to calls or messages as of the time of reporting.

‘Computation delaying implementation in Bayelsa’

The labour in Bayelsa State said the delay in the implementation of the N80,000 new minimum wage was due to flaws in the computation of the consequential adjustment by the committee set up by both the government and labour unions.

After a meeting with Bayelsa State Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, labour leaders acknowledged the government’s approval of the new wage, but confirmed that the implementation would now take effect in December 2024, rather than the initially anticipated November.

Barnabas Simon, NLC Chairman in Bayelsa, Laye Julius, TUC Chairman and Mbeleokpo Andabai, JNC Chairman, in a joint statement, said the flawed computation was being reviewed by a joint committee formed by both the government and organized labour.

Strike declared in Kaduna, Ebonyi

The leadership of the TUC and the NLC in Kaduna State has declared a one-week warning strike in the state beginning today following the non-implementation of the new minimum wage.

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Abdullahi A. Danfulani and Abdullahi Y. Mohammed, Chairman and Secretary of TUC, respectively, said, “During the State Executive Council  meeting on November 30, 2024, the council condemned the unilateral implementation of the consequential adjustments, which undermines the principles of collective bargaining.”

But Governor Uba Sani said the state had begun implementing the national minimum wage, refuting faulting the NLC’s claims.

In a statement, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ibraheem Musa, criticised NLC for including Kaduna in the list of states that haD not complied, calling it “grossly unfair.”

He SAID the lowest-paid worker in the state received N72,000 as gross salary in November.

The NLC in Ebonyi State announced a one-week strike, starting today.

At a press briefing in Abakaliki, Oguguo Egwu, the state chairman of the NLC, said before the minimum wage implementation committee finalised its recommendations, Governor Francis Nwifuru made a unilateral announcement of wage awards: NGN75,000 for Grade Levels 1 and 2, and NGN40,000 across the board, which were declared during a church service at the Government House Chapel on October 27, 2024.

We’re collating reports – Labour

The national leadership of NLC said it would be unfair to states that have complied with the implementation of the new N70,000 national minimum wage if it declares a nationwide strike action.

It, however, clarified that the strike would not begin in states today as being speculated in some quarters because a committee set up at the headquarters of the NLC was still collating reports from various states after which it would offer proper advice regarding this issue.

NLC President Joe Ajaero disclosed this in Abuja during the weekend during a roundtable organised by the Labour Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria, in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation.

He said states that would face the wrath of the movement include those that refused to implement their pronouncements and set up the committees.

Minimum wage: States move to avert NLC strike

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Peller Escapes Generator Fire at Lagos Home, Recalls Earlier Lekki–Epe Scare

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Nigerian TikTok sensation and streamer, Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller

Peller Escapes Generator Fire at Lagos Home, Recalls Earlier Lekki–Epe Scare

Nigerian TikTok sensation and streamer, Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, has narrowly escaped injury following a generator fire incident at his residence.

The social media influencer disclosed the incident on Saturday via his verified Instagram page, where he shared a video capturing the early-morning blaze. In the footage, flames could be seen engulfing his generator as Peller, visibly shaken, cried out for help while neighbors and occupants rushed to contain the fire.

After sustained efforts using buckets of water, the fire was eventually brought under control. The generator was completely destroyed, but the building itself and everyone inside the house were spared, preventing what could have escalated into a major tragedy.

Shortly after the incident, fans and followers flooded his comment section with messages of relief and gratitude, praising the swift response that prevented loss of life or further property damage. The video also circulated widely across other social media platforms, where viewers raised concerns about generator safety, ventilation, and fire preparedness in residential areas.

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As of the time of filing this report, the exact cause of the fire had not been independently confirmed, though preliminary reactions online speculated about possible fuel-related or electrical issues.

Earlier Lekki–Epe Expressway Incident

The generator fire comes months after Peller survived a separate and highly publicized scare along the Lekki–Epe Expressway.

During that earlier episode, which unfolded during a widely shared livestream, the influencer was seen driving while emotionally distressed. The broadcast, titled “RIP Peller,” sparked widespread concern after he made a series of alarming remarks that unsettled viewers.

At the time, Peller appeared agitated during a phone conversation believed to involve his girlfriend, amid online speculation about personal relationship challenges. The livestream ended abruptly after the vehicle was involved in a crash, though Peller later confirmed he survived the incident.

The back-to-back scares have renewed conversations among fans and industry observers about mental health awareness, content moderation during livestreams, and personal safety, particularly for young influencers who share real-time experiences with large audiences.

Despite the incidents, Peller has continued to engage his followers and has expressed appreciation for the overwhelming support he has received.

Peller Escapes Generator Fire at Lagos Home, Recalls Earlier Lekki–Epe Scare

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Abuja Church Expels Newly Married Woman Over Refusal to Consummate Marriage

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Abuja Church Expels Newly Married Woman Over Refusal to Consummate Marriage

An Abuja-based church has expelled a newly married woman, Oyiza, after she allegedly refused to consummate her marriage with her husband, Isaac—an action that has sparked widespread debate over marital consent, religious authority, and women’s rights in Nigeria.

The couple, who were living in Ibadan, got married on September 6, 2025, following the completion of their traditional marriage rites in Okene and a court wedding in Ibadan. Oyiza is originally from Kogi State.

According to accounts presented by the husband and church officials, marital tensions began shortly after the wedding, with Oyiza reportedly declining all attempts at intimacy. She allegedly told her husband she did not love him and later accused her mother of pressuring her into the marriage.

Family members and church leaders reportedly intervened multiple times over several months in an attempt to resolve the matter. Despite repeated marriage counselling sessions, the woman was said to have maintained her position, insisting she was emotionally unprepared for the union.

Isaac claimed that prior to the wedding, Oyiza had expressed doubts about proceeding with the marriage but later reassured him and the church’s marriage committee that she was ready, leading to approval of the wedding plans.

Photos from the ceremony, later circulated on social media, showed Oyiza appearing cheerful among friends and church members. However, Isaac said the marriage quickly deteriorated after the wedding, describing the relationship as emotionally exhausting and restrictive.

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In February 2026, the controversy escalated after the church released a video on its YouTube channel announcing Oyiza’s expulsion and excommunication. The church’s International Director stated that five months of mediation had failed.

During the announcement, the cleric used strong and controversial language, accusing Oyiza of spiritual misconduct and urging members to pray against her, claiming she had disgraced the church. He also referenced traditional cultural practices, suggesting that emotional readiness should not prevent marital obligations—remarks that triggered intense backlash online.

The cleric further claimed that his wife received a spiritual revelation alleging that Oyiza was under a supernatural covenant preventing marital relations. These claims were made publicly but remain unverified.

Oyiza was not present during the announcement, and efforts to obtain her response have been unsuccessful.

The incident has since generated nationwide reactions, with many Nigerians, legal commentators, and rights advocates arguing that consent within marriage is non-negotiable and that religious institutions should not compel intimacy or publicly shame individuals over private marital disputes.

The case has reignited conversations around:

  • Forced marriage and family pressure
  • Consent and bodily autonomy
  • Limits of church authority in private relationships
  • Mental health and dignity of women

As of the time of reporting, the church has not released any further statement addressing the public criticism.

Abuja Church Expels Newly Married Woman Over Refusal to Consummate Marriage

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Pastor Sentenced to Death by Hanging for Murdering Landlord in Akwa Ibom

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Pastor Sentenced to Death by Hanging for Murdering Landlord in Akwa Ibom

Prince Emmanuel Umoh, the resident pastor of Living Faith Church Chapel, Ifa Ikot Ubo–Ifa Ikot Okpon Branch in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has been sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of his landlord, Gabriel Bassey, a 500‑level civil engineering student at the University of Uyo.

Umoh was found guilty by Justice Gabriel Ette of the Akwa Ibom State High Court after evidence showed he fatally stabbed Bassey on December 21, 2020, inside the estate in Ifa Ikot Ubo, a community in Uyo Local Government Area. The judgment was delivered following a trial that lasted more than five years.

The prosecution established that Bassey had moved into his late mother’s property in Ifa Ikot Ubo to secure the family estate and be closer to school. The property previously housed a nursery school his mother built before her death in December 2019.

Court records show that part of the estate — a hall connected to a two‑bedroom apartment occupied by Bassey and his younger brother, Emmanuel Bassey — was leased to Living Faith Church for worship and community use at an annual rent of ₦150,000, with permission from Bassey’s father, Emana Bassey, a retired principal. The church began using the hall before the full rent was paid.

Umoh, who was later appointed the chapel’s first resident pastor, was given a spare key to the deceased’s apartment to allow access to church property stored inside. Evidence presented in court revealed that after this arrangement, personal items belonging to the deceased’s late mother — including clothing, dishes and valuables — began to go missing.

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The father, Mr. Emana Bassey, testified that he initially approved the spare key arrangement. However, when items started disappearing, he instructed his son to return the key. The defendant claimed he had lost the key, prompting concerns over security. The church’s senior pastor, Owoidoho Akpan, who testified for the defence, gave the Bassey family ₦5,000 to replace the locks. After the locks were changed, no further items were reported missing, the court heard.

Additional tensions arose between Umoh and Bassey over the use of rent funds supposedly meant for hall renovations, with disagreements escalating in the weeks leading up to the murder.

On the day of the incident, neighbours observed Umoh entering the premises shortly before cries of “Jesus” were heard. Minutes later, he was seen wearing a blood‑stained white garment, claiming he had fallen while fixing a banner. Bassey was not seen alive again.

Five days later, on December 26, 2020, Bassey’s decomposing body was found in his room, wrapped in a mat with multiple stab wounds and a butcher’s knife beside him. Forensic evidence and witness testimony linked Umoh to the crime, with bloodstains on his clothing and the fact that he was the last person seen with the deceased.

Umoh was arraigned on December 6, 2021, on a single count of murder. He pleaded not guilty, and the prosecution called six witnesses, including members of the Bassey family and church officials, to support its case.

In his lengthy judgment, Justice Ette described the crime as deeply troubling and a betrayal of trust, particularly because it was committed by a religious leader on church grounds.

Life is sacred, and those who represent God on earth should teach that. It is an irony and quite appalling when a man who claims to be the representative of the divine on earth stoops so low as to denigrate the very essence of his calling and take someone’s life on the premises of the church,” the judge said.

He added that individuals who violate public trust in this way threaten society and must be punished in accordance with the law.

Having found the defendant guilty beyond reasonable doubt, the court pronounced sentence:

“I hereby sentence you to death by hanging.”

The conviction brings to an end nearly six years of legal proceedings and underscores the rule of law in Akwa Ibom State, even when the accused holds a position of religious leadership.

Pastor Sentenced to Death by Hanging for Murdering Landlord in Akwa Ibom

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