News
Minimum wage: Workers accuse FG of selective payment
ABUJA — There appears to be selective payment of the N70,000 new minimum wage by the Federal Government, which has triggered fresh tension among federal public workers, as most of those yet to be paid have decried the development.
According to some staff of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, who haven’t seen any addition to their salaries, this is the height of insensitivity on the part of the government whose policies brought hardship and hunger.
This category includes workers of federal universities.
But sources in the Accountant-General’s and Budget Office painted different pictures of the situation on the ground last night.
While the Accountant-General’s office said the new minimum wage was effected along with September salary, the Budget Office said N40,000 was paid across the board to all federal workers but workers are denying this.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu signed the N70,000 minimum wage into law on July 18, 2024, after about two months of protracted negotiations among the tripartite committee members, comprising representatives of government, Organised Private Sector, OPS and organised labour, made up of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and its Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterpart.
One of the staff of an MDA who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity, said: “We are fed up with the whole system. We do not know what the government wants us to do.
‘’It is bad enough that the government removed fuel subsidy and inflicted unbearable suffering and hardship, including hunger on workers and other Nigerians across the country, it is even worse than the minimum wage that has been signed into law for months, in fact, since July, has not been implemented.
“We even heard that some few workers in the core civil service have seen some amount added to their salaries. What sort of arrangement is that? What sort of selective payment is that? Are we not in the same country and experiencing the same hardship and hunger?
‘’It is pure discrimination and salary slavery designed to keep some of us in perpetual bondage. We have been frustrated, denied and even humiliated by the policies of the government. Many of us have resorted to sleeping in offices, while many others who do not want to sleep in offices trek long distances to work.
“To worsen the suffering, many of us now starve or indulge in self-imposed fasts to cope with the situation. We cannot meet responsibilities to our immediate and extended families. Our children have not resumed school as we have no money to pay their fees and other necessities. We do not know why the government has decided to inflict pain and suffering on us.
“Since the new minimum wage was signed into law, the government has also increased the pump price of petrol and electricity tariff, eroding the value of the new minimum wage that has not even been implemented.
“How does the government want us to survive this assault? Prices of essential communities have continued to rise without any palliative from the government. This is wicked and unfair.”
However, a source in the office of the AGF disclosed that the new minimum wage was effected along with the September salary.
But a source in the Office of Budget and National Planning, who pleaded anonymity, said N40,000 was paid to all Federal Government staff across the board instead of the minimum wage.
He explained that the idea was for those formerly on N30,000 minimum wage to have their wages moved to N70,000 with the additional N40,000.
Some federal workers acknowledged receipt of an extra N40,000 in their September salary.
However, a Federal Government explanatory note on the N40, 000 board payment obtained by Vanguard yesterday, read: “On the 40,000 flat rates narrated as ‘minimum wage’ in the September pay slip, it is just a temporary measure to pay something to civil servants before the official template of the minimum wage becomes available.
“As at the time the September salary voucher was prepared, the template for the new minimum wage was yet to be concluded.
“So, it was concluded that a flat rate be paid to all civil servants, irrespective of level, pending when the template will be available.
“That is why N40,000 was reflected in the September pay slip as ‘minimum wage’. But in October, the official template that was released yesterday night will come into full effect.
Arrears of new minimum wage
“Note the new minimum wage by law came into effect on July 28. This means that there will be arrears for August only. But the issue is a 40k flat rate has already been included in the September salary.
“So, if arrears were to be paid, there will be a deduction of the N40,000 paid to you in August from the normal amount you are to receive as the increasing figure emanating from the new minimum wage template.”
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Six members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police .
The six persons led by Mr Chukwuebuka Ohaechesi, include Emma Okonkwo, Jude Uwa, Gentle Okoro, Uchenna Dike, and Emmanuel Nwankwo who are said to be at large.
The were said to have fled to neighboring states in the South East hence signaling the other four Police Commands in the geopolitical zone to assist in the manhunt for them
The Police accused them of executing protests against the detaintion of the leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently serving jail terms in Sokoto Correction Center.
According to a statement issued by the Abia Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Eguavon Omokaro, the individuals are suspected members of IPOB who have allegedly participated in protests at various times and locations within the state.
The statement alleged that the protests were organised in connection with the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and demands for justice through the judicial process.
The Police Command further stated that these protests have allegedly resulted in breaches of peace and disruptions to law and order in Abia State. Consequently, the Police Intelligence Department reportedly concluded that the named individuals were among the principal organisers and coordinators of the demonstrations.
The statement further alleged that; ;
“It should be noted that on every 30th day of May, these men and their cohorts convene for the so-called remembrance of Biafra, holding clandestine meetings at various locations in the name of the emancipation of the Biafran Republic and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
According to the police, the six individuals were invited on several occasions for questioning in relation to the allegations against them.
The statement indicated that the first invitation was issued on 18 December 2025, followed by a second invitation on 7 February 2026, and a third invitation on 3 March 2026.
The police alleged that the individuals failed to honour all three invitations.
The statement further asserted:
“These individuals were invited by the police on several occasions. Firstly, on 18 December 2025, they failed to honour the invitation. Again, they were invited on 7th February 2026 and failed to appear. Finally, they were invited on 3 March 2026, and they also failed to present themselves before the police.” It stated.
As a result, the Abia State Police Command announced that all six individuals had been formally declared wanted.
The police appealed to members of the public to provide any reliable information that could lead to their arrest and prosecution, stating that informants would be suitably rewarded.
The declaration of the six individuals as wanted persons is linked to allegations of their participation in pro-Biafra activities, demonstrations concerning the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and their alleged association with IPOB, an organisation that has been the subject of extensive scrutiny and security operations by Nigerian authorities.
In a statement shared on social media, VeryDarkMan argued that Wike may not fully understand the pain and trauma experienced by parents of abducted children and affected teachers. He claimed that the minister’s children were educated abroad, away from the security challenges facing many Nigerian families.Nigerian entertainment news
The activist stated that insecurity, kidnapping, and attacks on schools remain serious national concerns and should not be dismissed or reduced to political issues. He stressed that the fears and frustrations of parents whose children face security threats deserve greater attention from public officials.
VeryDarkMan further warned that political power is temporary, urging leaders to remain accountable to the people and sensitive to the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
DSS Detains Novelist Okey Ndibe at Lagos Airport, Awaits Clearance from Abuja
Renowned Nigerian novelist, journalist, and academic, Okey Ndibe, was reportedly detained by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday morning.
Ndibe disclosed his situation in a message sent while in custody, stating: “I’ve been with the SSS now for more than an hour. They’re waiting for clearance from some oga before they let me go.”
According to sources close to the writer, his detention follows a pattern that dates back to previous administrations, including that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, during which he was frequently stopped and questioned over his critical commentaries on Nigerian governance and public affairs.
However, associates noted that Ndibe has largely stepped away from active commentary in Nigerian media over the past two years, focusing instead on writing books and his academic responsibilities at University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he teaches.
A close friend of the author and former Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, said similar incidents had occurred several times in the past. He explained that airport DSS officials typically contacted their superiors in Abuja before eventually releasing Ndibe.
“It is a pity that this agency doesn’t update its database to enable officers on duty at the airport to know that the agency no longer regards Prof. Ndibe as a security threat to the administration,” Adinuba said.
He added that on previous occasions, the DSS had apologized to the respected author after determining that his detention was unwarranted.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the DSS regarding the circumstances surrounding Ndibe’s latest detention. The development has raised renewed concerns about the treatment of government critics and the continued use of security watchlists affecting returning Nigerians.
Hegseth made the disclosure during a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, where he said the directive was issued about a year ago after Trump became aware of attacks against Christians in Nigeria.
He explained that the operation involved behind-the-scenes coordination and deployment of military assets, adding that intelligence gathered during the mission contributed to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as ISIS’s second-in-command, during a joint operation involving U.S. and Nigerian forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
“Maybe a year ago, he heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS in Nigeria, and he said, ‘Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything we can to protect those Christians,’” Hegseth said.
According to him, the operation yielded significant results in the fight against terrorism in the region.
“And we got the assets there, and over the last month, and there hasn’t been much coverage of this, we killed ISIS number two in Nigeria, who’s most responsible for killing Christians and trying to target the U.S. homeland,” he stated.
Hegseth added that working on the Intel gathered, they have killed hundreds of ISIS members who were targeting and killing Christians in Nigeria.
The U.S. defence chief described the operation as part of the Trump administration’s broader commitment to counterterrorism efforts and the protection of vulnerable communities.
“So there are a lot of things we do that the media pays attention to, and a lot of things that the President empowers the Department to do on behalf of the American people that he deserves great credit for,” Hegseth stated.
ISIS second in command, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was killed in a coordinated U.S.-Nigeria military operation in northeast Nigeria earlier this month.
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