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Mbah moves to pay outstanding pensions, gratuities, sets up committee
He recalled that a similar committee was recently constituted at the state level to clear the outstanding pensions and gratuities owed civil servants since 2006, adding that the decision was in fulfillment of his campaign promise to the people.
Governor Mbah, who charged the committee to reflect their integrity and experiences on the assignment given them, said the team was selected based on some critical consideration bordering on their track records and credibility in life.
He further disclosed that the committee at the state level, which would serve as a guide, had done extensive work and was expected to submit its report and recommendations on Friday.
The Governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Chidiebere Onyia, expressed confidence in the integrity of the members of the committee, even as he enjoined them to justify their selection into the all-important team by upholding the hope of the people and what the government represents.
The terms of reference of the committee include, verifying and determining all outstanding pensions and gratuities due to local government staff and primary school teachers; verifying and determining the total number of local government retirees that are primary school teachers and local government staff; to recommend an appropriate plan or module for payment of all the verified pensions and gratuities, and to submit their findings and report within three weeks of its inauguration.
“This is the continuation of our passion to ensure that there is an equitable approach to the way pensions and gratuity matter is being addressed.
“We have taken out time to inaugurate the state level team and they have been working diligently. We will all agree that verification is critical to the success of this project. So, what you are going to be doing is almost mirroring what is being done at the state level, but because that of local governments might be a bit complex, we needed the level of experience of the people we have here.
“The Chairman of the committee, Rev. Fr. Nnamdi Ambrose Nwankwo, is someone we can trust and hold to a very high esteem. Your recommendations will determine what my administration does as a policy declaration after you have also submitted your report.
“By this Friday, the State Committee on Pensions and Gratuities will be handing in their report.
“You have a duration of three weeks to do yours. Yours is going to be looking at the data we have already; see if they are credible and the processes. That is why your selection is very critical.
“We have confidence that you will provide that level of expertise and credibility to the process. Like I said to the committee at the state level, which the SSG chairs; two things are very important: hope and credibility.
“These are very important because you are dealing with people who have invested all their lives to build the state. Hope is important here, and the integrity of the process is critical. We are hoping this team will reflect it in its entirety and in everything it does.
“We are confident this team will provide the necessary decisions, support and recommendations for us to be able to act on the next step to this journey that we have started in meeting our pensions and gratuities’ obligations,” the Governor said.
Responding to their inauguration, the chairman of the committee who also doubles as Rector, Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo, Fr. Nwankwo pledged that the team would not disappoint the government and the people of the state as they had what it took to deliver on the assignment.
He vowed that the team would come up with plausible and outstanding suggestions that would be beneficial to the people, especially those retirees who were in urgent need of the succour the governor would avail them.
“I want to appreciate the Governor for the passion shown to the people, especially to those who have suffered and contributed to the progress of this state and are now in their retirement,” Fr. Nwankwo said.
He added that the committee would do its best to help the government in extending the gesture to the people, describing the act as a timely relief that would get to those involved.
Other members of the committee include, Donatus Achi, a retired Sermanent Secretary, Comrade Ike Ekere, State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Theophilus Nweke Odo, State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Kenneth Ugwueze, State Chairman, National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Adenike Okebu, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Revenue, Larry Oguego, human rights activist, Chinedu Ngene from the State Audit Department and Prof. Obiamaka Egbo, Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Finance, who will serve as secretary of the committee.
A Catholic priest from Nigeria who was on a pastoral mission to the United States of America has taken his own life after the expiration of his visa and following prevailing new visa policy of the USA.
Reverend Father Benjamin Okwy Madu (Father Ben) as he was fondly called by his parishioners, aged 54, took his own life Thursday evening, July 2, 2026 after he reportedly expressed unwillingness to go back to Nigeria because he had fallen in love with the community of Cape Ann, the city of North Shore including the parishioners.
Boston Archbishop Richard G. Henning sent a message to fellow priests confirming that Father Ben took his own life.
Local law enforcement and the Essex County District Attorney’s Office investigated the scene and noted that no foul play was suspected.
“Sincerely, it is not my wish to return home right now, but circumstances beyond my control have warranted that my time in the United States come to an end,” Father Ben wrote.
“My heart is broken, yet my joy remains. I will miss the home I found away from home… I will deeply miss the seaside, where I often drive to after Mass to call my family and hear about their Sundays.” he was reported to have posted a farewell message on the parish newsletter.
Father Ben, a 54-year-old Nigerian national from the Diocese of Abakaliki, had been serving as a beloved hospital chaplain and parish priest on the North Shore of Massachusetts since 2021.
His R-1 religious worker visa was expiring, and he was ordered to return to Nigeria. Just days before his death.
The Boston Globe reported that he had expressed deep fears about what would happen to him upon returning to Nigeria, where clergy frequently face severe perils, including violence and kidnapping
The outbreak is said to have spread across several ISWAP enclaves, exposing worsening sanitary conditions and the dwindling availability of medical care within the insurgents’ camps.
Security analyst Zagazola Makama disclosed the development in a post on X, citing intelligence sources familiar with the situation.
According to the sources, two other ISWAP fighters who contracted the highly infectious disease were allegedly executed by members of the group after efforts to treat them in Kimba village proved unsuccessful.
The incident is believed to reflect the increasingly difficult conditions inside the terrorist camps, where sustained military offensives have disrupted supply routes and severely limited access to medicines, healthcare and other essential resources.
Intelligence sources said the combination of poor hygiene, inadequate medical facilities and mounting operational pressure has left many of the insurgents vulnerable to disease outbreaks.
The sources further disclosed that military commanders have been advised to intensify efforts to intercept medical supplies and pharmaceutical products suspected of being destined for terrorist hideouts. Security officials believe cutting off access to healthcare supplies could further weaken ISWAP’s ability to treat injured or sick fighters and reduce the group’s operational capacity.
While the reports have not been independently verified, the development is seen as another indication of the mounting challenges facing the insurgent group as security forces continue sustained operations across the North-East.
The development was disclosed on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
In a shared post on his verified X handle, Onanuga simply announced that the victims had been released by their abductors.
“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies,” he wrote.
As of the time of filing this report, details surrounding their release, including whether any ransom was paid or the circumstances leading to their freedom, had yet to be disclosed.
The abductions occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools; Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
No fewer than 39 pupils and seven teachers, including a principal, were taken during the attacks.
During the attack, a teacher, Joel Adesiyan, was killed while attempting to escape.
Another teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded in the kidnappers’ den.
The terrorists holding the victims had reportedly made a four-point demand before agreeing to free the captives, including the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related law.
The Oyo State Government had consistently maintained that no ransom would be paid to secure the release of any victims.
The incident had triggered weeks of public anguish, with the Nigeria Union of Teachers embarking on a month-long strike in the state to press for the victims’ rescue before suspending the action in July.
It also drew federal intervention, with military and police authorities repeatedly assuring Nigerians that operations to secure the victims’ freedom were ongoing.
Reactions have trailed to trail the disclosure by the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, that Nigerian soldiers now earn a minimum monthly salary of N100,000 following recent welfare reforms by the Federal Government.
Veterans and serving personnel have described the amount as grossly inadequate in the face of Nigeria’s rising cost of living, while some accused the Federal Government of failing to implement a more substantial salary review promised months ago.
The criticism comes amid renewed concerns over troop welfare, military funding, and the effectiveness of efforts to boost morale among personnel battling insecurity across the country.
A retired soldier, Abdul Isiak, argued that the current salary falls far short of what is needed to meet basic living expenses.
“It is not enough at all. What is N100,000 in the current situation of the country? It cannot go far. They should do better. If soldiers are paid more, they will be more motivated and committed to their duties,” he said.
Another retired military officer, Sergeant Zaki Williams, questioned the accuracy of the figure disclosed by the minister and described the amount as inadequate for personnel who risk their lives in service to the nation.
“I doubt if they are even paying up to that amount now. Even if they are, it is too little. Any government paying a soldier N100,000 in today’s economy is not serious enough about the welfare of its troops,” he said.
Williams noted that soldiers face enormous challenges and deserve better remuneration and working conditions.
Also reacting, the Coordinator of the Coalition for Concerned Veterans, Abiodun Herbert-Durowaye, said the salary does not reflect the sacrifices made by military personnel.
“How can that be sufficient for someone putting his life on the line for the country? Consider the cost of food, housing, transportation, and children’s education. N100,000 is far from adequate for those responsible for protecting the nation’s peace and security,” he stated.
The reactions followed comments by the Minister of Defence during an interview with News Central, where he disclosed that the minimum monthly salary of soldiers had increased from N49,000 to N100,000 under the current administration.
According to the minister, the Federal Government has made deliberate efforts to improve troop welfare despite funding challenges facing the military.
“When they started, a soldier was collecting N49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting N100,000,” he said.
Musa, however, acknowledged that the defence sector remains underfunded and requires greater financial support to effectively address the country’s security challenges.
The minister also advocated stricter penalties for kidnapping, including the possibility of introducing the death penalty for convicted kidnappers, arguing that stronger deterrents are necessary to curb the growing wave of abductions across the country.
The debate over soldiers’ welfare comes at a time when the military continues to confront multiple security threats, with stakeholders insisting that improved remuneration, better equipment, and enhanced welfare packages are critical to boosting morale and operational effectiveness.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced that travellers in the United States seeking Nigerian visas must now submit their applications directly at Nigerian diplomatic missions following the termination of its contract with a third-party visa processing company.
The new directive, which takes immediate effect, ends the role previously played by Online Integrated Solutions (OIS Services), which had been responsible for receiving and processing Nigerian visa applications through its centres across the United States.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the NIS Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, said visa applicants are now required to submit their documents directly at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, D.C., or at the Nigerian Consulates in New York and Atlanta until further notice.
The immigration service did not state the reason for ending its partnership with OIS Services.
However, Akinlabi assured applicants that adequate measures have been put in place at the embassy and consulates to ensure a smooth transition. He added that visa submission, processing and approval would continue without disruption.
He also urged prospective travellers to monitor the official communication channels of the Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigerian diplomatic missions in the United States for updates on visa application procedures.
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