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Tension over delay of federal workers December salary

Published

2 years ago

December 26, 2024

Trends Admin

Tension over delay of federal workers December salary

Civil servants under the employment of the Federal Government are facing gloomy Christmas celebration following the delay in payment of their December 2024 salaries.

Chronicle NG gathered that federal workers suffered delayed salaries in November 2024.

According to our sources, the majority of federal employees received their November 2024 salary in the second week of December.

Multiple public service sources informed Chronicle NG that the blame was with the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, while others said the delay was due to the migration to a new payment platform.

Speaking of delayed salaries, our correspondent, who visited the Federal Secretariat on Tuesday morning, met with a few federal servants who expressed their dissatisfaction with the situation.

Speaking on the delayed salaries, our correspondent, who visited the Federal Secretariat on Tuesday morning, met with a few civil servants who expressed their grievances over the matter.

A civil servant, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said, “To be very honest, I am not travelling for the holidays this year because I don’t have the money. Our November salaries came very late, and by the time we were paid, a lot of us were already in debt. We felt things would be different this December, but the reverse is the case.”

Another civil servant, who also spoke under the condition of anonymity, revealed that, “There is nothing shocking about this new development because our November salaries came late. Some of us prepared ahead, even though it is not enough.

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“The cost of food items has gone up, clothes for my children, and all. Payment of the December salaries at the moment will really go a long way.”

However, the Federal Government has explained the reasons behind recent delays in salary payments to civil servants, attributing the issue to shortfalls in allocations to some ministries and agencies.

Speaking on Tuesday, the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant-General, Mr. Bawa Mokwa, confirmed that payments commenced on Monday and that measures had been taken to address the discrepancies.

“They have started paying since yesterday,” Mokwa stated.

He further acknowledged the delays experienced last month, saying, “Last month, you will observe that some people didn’t get their salaries on time. Some ministries were having a shortfall. Yesterday, they paid all, and even the ones that had shortfalls, they ensured that they were augmented and paid. So, it now depends on the banks.”

Explaining the root of the problem, Mokwa noted that the implementation of the new minimum wage had affected the salary allocations for some ministries.

“When they started paying the new minimum wage, the money assigned for salaries to these ministries was affected by the minimum wage. So, that led to a shortfall for the ministries. That is what the government has addressed and augmented for all ministries to ensure that the salary was paid yesterday,” he explained.

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Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, the Accountant-General of the Federation, confirmed that salaries had been paid.

However, the timing of funds reflecting in employees’ accounts would depend on individual banks.

“It varies from bank to bank on how it will drop, but they have been paid,” he said.

In July 2024, President Bola Tinubu approved an increase in the minimum wage for Nigerian workers from N30,000 to N70,000.

In January this year, the National Assembly reduced the allocation for the minimum wage.

President Bola Tinubu first requested a budget of N1 trillion for MDAS’s Public Service Wage Adjustment (which included arrears of promotion and salary increases, as well as payment of severance benefits and minimum wage adjustments).

However, the approved budget by the National Assembly and signed by the president was significantly reduced to N550 billion for the same fiscal item, representing an N450 billion fall from the original amount.

Following the passage of a new minimum wage, the Federal Government stated that the N3 trillion recurrent component of the N6.2 trillion supplementary budget presented to the National Assembly will be primarily utilised to fund the new national minimum wage.

Tension over delay of federal workers December salary

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Two Buses Carrying NYSC Prospective Corps Members Attacked, Passengers Abducted in Imo

Published

5 hours ago

October 1, 2026

Trends Admin

Kogi Abduction: Kidnappers Demand ₦20m Ransom for Each NYSC Member

Two Buses Carrying NYSC Prospective Corps Members Attacked, Passengers Abducted in Imo

Families panic as gunmen reportedly seize travellers on Owerri–Onitsha Expressway

At least two commercial buses carrying passengers, including prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) travelling from Ibadan to orientation camps in the South-East and South-South, were reportedly attacked by gunmen in Imo State on Thursday morning.

The incident reportedly occurred along the Owerri–Onitsha Expressway, around the Umunoha/No Man’s Land axis of Mbaitoli Local Government Area, at about 5:30am on October 1, 2026, as Nigerians marked the country’s Independence Day.

The attackers reportedly intercepted two 18-seater buses and allegedly took the passengers into the bush after robbing them.

Videos circulating online showed the two buses abandoned by the roadside, with one reportedly identified as belonging to Uko Akwa Ibom Motors.

The passengers were reportedly travelling from Samonda in Ibadan, with some of the prospective corps members heading to NYSC orientation camps in states including Abia, Imo, Enugu and Akwa Ibom.

A particularly distressing account came from a woman who said her daughter, identified as Kehinde, was among the prospective corps members travelling to the eastern part of the country.

According to the woman, her daughter left Samonda, Ibadan, on Wednesday with other prospective corps members.

The family reportedly received a message from her shortly after 6am on Thursday containing the word “kidnapper”, after which her phone became unreachable.

The woman appealed for assistance, saying she had been unable to establish contact with her daughter.

She also disclosed that the girl’s twin sister, Taiwo, had already arrived in Enugu for her orientation programme.

Reports indicate that the group was travelling in three vehicles, with one reportedly escaping while passengers in the other two buses were allegedly abducted.

An eyewitness who spoke in a video circulating online said security personnel arrived at the scene after the incident and that soldiers had moved into the bush in an attempt to locate the victims.

However, the exact number of people abducted has not been independently established.

One report claimed that about 18 prospective corps members were among those kidnapped, but the figure had not been officially confirmed at the time of filing this report.

There was also no immediate official confirmation of the incident from the NYSC or the Imo State Police Command.

The reported attack has triggered anxiety among families of prospective corps members travelling to various orientation camps, particularly those whose children departed from the Samonda area of Ibadan.

The development has also renewed concerns over the safety of young Nigerians travelling long distances to participate in the NYSC orientation programme.

As of the time of publication, there was no confirmed official figure for the number of NYSC prospective corps members or other passengers abducted in the incident, while no confirmed report of their rescue had been established.

Newstrends.ng will continue to monitor developments and update this report as official information becomes available.

Two Buses Carrying NYSC Prospective Corps Members Attacked, Passengers Abducted in Imo

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Bandits Kill Man, Abduct Wife, Children, Seven Others in Kaduna Community

Published

6 hours ago

October 1, 2026

Trends Admin

Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State, CP Muhammad Rabiu

Bandits Kill Man, Abduct Wife, Children, Seven Others in Kaduna Community

Suspected bandits have killed a man identified as Sikiru and abducted his wife, two children and six other residents during an attack on Babban Saura (PW) community in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The attack occurred in the early hours of Thursday, October 1, 2026, when the gunmen reportedly invaded three houses in the community.

A community source told the News Agency of Nigeria that the attackers first entered the residence of an elderly man and abducted two of his children before moving to Sikiru’s home.

The gunmen reportedly broke through the fence of Sikiru’s compound and entered the house. Sikiru was said to have confronted them after they entered his parlour, resulting in a struggle.

The attackers subsequently shot him dead before abducting his wife and their two children.

The assailants also invaded a neighbouring house and abducted a woman identified as Maman Mubarak and her four children.

Mubarak was later rescued after soldiers and local vigilantes pursued the attackers towards the Eastern Bypass area. However, her four children remained in captivity, along with the other abducted residents.

Usman Adamu, commander of the local vigilantes, confirmed that nine people were initially abducted during the attack.

He said the vigilantes received a distress call and immediately alerted soldiers, who joined the pursuit.

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According to Adamu, the security team traced the attackers towards the Eastern Bypass and succeeded in rescuing Mubarak, but the gunmen escaped with the remaining victims.

Another resident, who identified himself as Anas, said Sikiru had called him after the attackers entered the community.

When journalists visited the area, sympathisers had gathered at Sikiru’s residence while residents expressed concern over the worsening insecurity in Chikun LGA.

The attack came only days after suspected bandits invaded nearby Kadaure community, where a man was reportedly killed and cattle were rustled.

The latest incident also highlights continuing security concerns around Millennium City communities, including Babban Saura, Kyauta and Danhonu. Residents in the area have previously reported kidnappings, killings and cattle rustling, with some families reportedly relocating because of fear.

A September security report on the area said repeated attacks had increased residents’ reliance on community vigilantes and raised concerns about the abandonment of homes and investments.

The renewed violence comes despite ongoing security operations across Kaduna State.

The Kaduna State Police Command recently announced the arrest of 24 suspected kidnappers and the recovery of firearms, AK-47 magazines and more than 500 rounds of live ammunition in separate operations across the state.

The command said the operations targeted kidnapping, banditry, arms trafficking and cattle rustling, among other crimes. There was, however, no indication that any of those arrested had been linked to the Babban Saura attack.

As of Thursday, the Kaduna State Police Command had not issued a specific statement on the Babban Saura incident. Its spokesperson, DSP Mansur Hassan, could not be reached for immediate comment.

The whereabouts of the remaining abducted residents were unknown as of the latest reports, while security personnel and community vigilantes were expected to continue efforts to secure their release.

The attack has renewed calls for stronger security measures in communities on the outskirts of Kaduna metropolis, where residents say repeated kidnapping and bandit attacks are disrupting lives and forcing some families to leave their homes.

Bandits Kill Man, Abduct Wife, Children, Seven Others in Kaduna Community

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Workers to Begin Nationwide Warning Strike Over Petrol Price, Wage Award

Published

6 hours ago

October 1, 2026

Trends Admin

Workers to Begin Nationwide Warning Strike Over Petrol Price, Wage Award

Public servants across the federal, state and local governments are set to begin a three-day warning strike on Friday, October 2, over rising economic hardship, high petrol prices, demand for a wage award and the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage.

The industrial action was declared by the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) after the expiration of its September 30 deadline to the Federal Government to address the workers’ demands.

The council said the warning strike will commence at midnight on Friday, October 2, and end on Sunday, October 4, 2026. It has directed its affiliate unions and their structures nationwide to mobilise public servants for the action.

The planned strike followed a September 21 letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in which the workers demanded urgent measures to ease the impact of rising living costs.

One of the major demands is a reduction in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, to N500 per litre.

The JNPSNC said the government could reduce the price through an intervention fund to address landing costs and support oil and gas operators. It also called for crude oil to be supplied to the Dangote Refinery and modular refinery operators on appropriate terms to encourage increased domestic refining and reduce petroleum product prices.

The council said petrol prices ranging from about N1,450 to N2,000 per litre, and reaching as high as N2,500 in some locations, were placing severe financial pressure on workers and their dependants.

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The workers are also demanding an immediate wage award to cushion the effects of rising prices and provide relief to public servants and other vulnerable Nigerians.

Another key demand is the immediate establishment of a tripartite committee to begin negotiations for a new national minimum wage expected to take effect in 2027.

The JNPSNC has called for negotiations around a new minimum wage of not less than N500,000, arguing that starting the process early would prevent administrative or procedural delays in implementing any new agreement.

The council had warned that the strike would follow if the Federal Government failed to address the issues by September 30. It also urged President Tinubu to use his Independence Day address to respond to the concerns raised by the workers.

With the deadline passing, the unions maintained their position and scheduled the industrial action for October 2.

The JNPSNC comprises eight public-sector unions: the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees (AUPCTRE), Nigeria Union of Public Service, Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors and Allied Workers (NUPSRAW), National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers (NUPPPPROW) and National Union of Agriculture and Allied Employees (NUAAE).

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has also backed calls for measures to reduce the pressure of rising living costs, including lower petrol prices, a wage award and early negotiations for a new minimum wage.

The planned action is expected to affect public services at federal, state and local government levels, including ministries, departments and agencies, depending on the level of compliance by workers.

The warning strike comes as Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary, with organised labour continuing to demand measures it says would provide relief to workers facing increased transportation, food and other household costs.

For clarity, the strike has not begun as of October 1. The JNPSNC has scheduled its commencement for 12:00am on Friday, October 2, 2026.