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Why new minimum wage will start from July and not May 2024 as earlier promised — FG

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Why new minimum wage will start from July and not May 2024 as earlier promised — FG
• Minimum wage
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The Federal Government through the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission has stated that the payment of the new minimum wage will commence from July 2024.

The NSIWC Chairman, Ekpo Nta, said this during a press briefing on Tuesday in Abuja.

The commission stated that this was because the date in question was when the President approved the bill after the National Assembly passed it.

The development is contrary to an earlier statement by the Minister of State for Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, that the payment would commence on May 1, 2024.

It also means that the government would only pay an arrears of two months if it begins payment by the end of October.

This was as it announced the approval of the revision of the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure and other salary structures.

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Last week, the Committee on Consequential Adjustments in Salaries for civil servants met on Friday as regards the new minimum wage template and agreed that the effective date for implementation of the new minimum wage be set at July 29, 2024.

The committee also recommended that the wage award which was discontinued by the government should also be paid up till July 28, 2024.

The committee headed by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, noted that the government took note of the economic situation in the country before it took its decisions.

But reacting in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, the Head of Information of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Benson Upah, faulted the decision of the government, describing it as unacceptable.

“The backdating to July is not fair. It is not acceptable,” he said.

Also, the National Vice President of the Trade Union Congress, Timmy Etim, criticised the government’s move.

He said since the Minister of State for Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, had told workers on May Day that the new minimum wage would take effect in May, it was unfair for the government to renege on the promise.

However, giving reasons for the change at the press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, the NSIWC chairman said, “The President has approved the revision of the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure with effect from July 29, 2024.

“The commission wishes to clarify that the effective date for the commencement of the National Minimum Wage is the 29th of July, 2024 as that was the day Mr President assented to the act after the bill was forwarded to him by the National Assembly.”

He added that any federal public service, whether self-funded or treasury funded that had not received a circular to this effect, specifically from the NSIWC, should contact it for further directives.

Nta said, “This is to avoid an uncoordinated implementation which tends to destroy the existing salary relativities in the federal public service.”

He said that NSIWC would issue further directives on how pensioners, NYSC members and interns would benefit from the implementation.

The chairman listed other revised templates to include Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure, Consolidated Universities Academic Salary Structure and Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure II.

He said others were: The Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure, Consolidated Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure and Consolidated Medical Salary Structure.

Nta named others to include: Consolidated Health Salary Structure, Consolidated Para-Military Salary Structure and Consolidated Police Salary Structure.

The rest were: Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure.

“This is consequent to the enactment of the NSIWC Amendment Act 2024 and the Memorandum of Understanding reached by the committee on consequential adjustments in salaries arising from the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act, 2024.

“Between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Trade Union sides of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council Sept. 20,” Nta concluded. (Text, excl

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Group asks court to disqualify Tinubu from 2027 Election over alleged Certificate Forgery

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President Ahmed Bola Tinubu
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The Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy (CFRPA) has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Kano seeking the disqualification of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the 2027 presidential election over allegations of certificate forgery.

‎According to court documents seen by Daily Trust, the plaintiff alleged that Tinubu presented forged academic certificates from Chicago State University and a fake National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the 2023 elections.

‎The suit, marked FHC/K/CS/312/2026, lists Tinubu, INEC, and Chicago State University as defendants.

The plaintiff contended that Tinubu never attended Government College Lagos as claimed, noting that the school was established in 1974, four years after Tinubu allegedly graduated.

The CSO further argued that Tinubu does not possess a valid secondary school certificate, which is the minimum constitutional requirement to contest for the presidency.

It claimed that INEC had failed to act on its petition dated June 19, 2026, demanding clarification on Tinubu’s eligibility.

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‎In its statement of claims, the group referenced a 2023 U.S. court ruling in Re: Application of Atiku Abubakar (No. 23 CV 05099), which compelled Chicago State University to release Tinubu’s academic records.

The plaintiff insisted those records revealed false entries and inconsistencies, including a forged University of Cambridge General Certificate of Education.

‎The prayers asked by the plaintiff included declaration of forgery against Tinubu’s Chicago State University certificate, issuance of an order directing INEC to disqualify him from the 2027 presidential election, directing CSU to strike Tinubu’s name from its records and perpetual injunction restraining INEC from uploading Tinubu’s name as a candidate.

‎The plaintiff also submitted affidavits of non-multiplicity of action, witness statements, and letters to the NYSC and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, demanding disclaimers on the alleged fake NYSC certificate.

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Firm expresses concern over repeated missing Court File in Ojukwu Property case

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Monarch, four others remanded for arson
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Ojukwu Transport Limited, OTL, has raised concerns over what it described as the repeated absence of court records in its ongoing property dispute with Bianca Ojukwu and her sons, even as it filed a motion for stay of execution pending the determination of its appeal.

Proceedings before Justice A.M. Lawal of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, last Monday were stalled for the second time in six weeks due to the unavailability of the case file.

The matter was adjourned after the file was reportedly not returned to court.

A similar situation occurred on May 8, 2026, when the case could not proceed because the file was unavailable.

OTL alleged that the file had been taken from the Ikeja Judicial Division to Lagos more than two months ago for the execution of a warrant and had not been returned.

The claimants’ legal representatives were absent from court on both occasions.

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Describing the development as troubling, OTL said the repeated absence of the file had effectively stalled proceedings and raised questions about accountability in the handling of court records.

Amid the delays, the company disclosed that it had filed and served a motion for stay of execution at the Court of Appeal, seeking to halt enforcement of the judgment pending the determination of its appeal against the 2022 decision in Suit No. LD/1539/2012.

OTL maintained that the application became necessary because steps were being taken to enforce the judgment despite its pending appeal.

The company also contended that the properties in dispute had previously been the subject of a warrant of execution arising from a separate judgment delivered in 2018 by Justice Adedayo Oyebanji in Suit No. LD/794/2011.

The case was subsequently adjourned to October 8, 2026.

Present in court on both adjourned dates on behalf of Ojukwu Transport Limited was one of its directors, Dr. P. Ike Ojukwu.

Counsel to OTL are Ifeanyi Okumah Esq and Chief O. Ugolo, SAN, while Bianca Ojukwu and her sons are represented by Nick Omeye Esq and Co.

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DSS releases, compensates man wrongfully arrested over alleged links with Boko Haram

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The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, has ordered the immediate release of a man wrongfully linked to Boko Haram terrorists.

The setting free followed a DSS investigation review panel that cleared Nura Idris of allegations of collaboration with Boko Haram terrorists.

Aside from giving Idris N3 million monetary compensation to meet his immediate needs, the DSS DG promised to help the wrongfully detained herder in his business, a practice common with the DG.

According to a security source, the farmer and animal rearer from Soba Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was arrested by a sister security agency in Suleja, Niger State, in June 2024, for alleged links with terrorists, and was thereafter transferred to DSS custody.

Following a thorough review of Nura’s case, the DSS investigation panel found no basis for the charges against him, prompting the DGSS to order his immediate release and payment of compensation.

Receiving the compensation, Nura thanked the DGSS for what he described as a kind gesture, saying the money would help him restart his life.

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“I thank the DGSS for his kindness. I was well treated in DSS custody and I pray that Allah rewards the DGSS immensely,” the source quoted Nura as saying.

His father, Yusuf Idris, who received Nura upon his release, also expressed appreciation to the DGSS for his compassion and generosity, and assured that the compensation would be put to good use.

“When such cases are recorded, the DSS would usually follow up with the detainee, provide psychological and medical support, after which the Agency would further set up any business of the victim’s choice”, another source disclosed.

The release is part of an internal review exercise which the DSS began last year. The exercise is aimed at reassessing prolonged inherited cases to ensure that erroneously detained individuals do not remain in detention.

“The setting free and compensations across multiple cases underscores the DSS’s growing reputation for institutional integrity and humanness,” added the source.

“The Service under the current DG, has continued to show that safeguarding national security and citizens must go hand in hand with upholding the rights and dignity of citizens,” declared the source.

“Recall the case of Sunday Ifedi and his wife, Calista who were arrested on 8th November 2021 and detained in Wawa facility, three years before the appointment of the current DG in August 2024,” added the source. Sunday was released on 16th December, 2025, after the review of detainees ordered by the DG cleared him of ties with the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the DG awarded him N10 million as compensation.

“Importantly, plans are underway by the DSS to rebuild a restaurant in memory of Ifedi’s wife, Calista, who died while in custody in a detention facility in Wawa. The initiative is to compensate Sunday for the allegations that his late wife operated a restaurant being patronized by IPOB, for which they were arrested. This brings to bear, over thirty cases that have since been reviewed with over N300m paid as compensation,” the source disclosed.

It would also be recalled that, barely one month after ordering the release and payment of N10 million compensation of one Abuja-based business woman, Mrs. Chineze Ozoadibe, in October 2025, the DSS boss ordered the release of one Kenneth Okechukwu Nwafor, arrested in July 2022, for his alleged involvement in the activities of the proscribed IPOB. Five other detainees wrongfully linked to IPOB were by the same directive of the DG, released and each given an initial N2 million cash compensation. Last month, the DSS also released a Yobe State resident, Ya’u Mohammed, after investigations confirmed that he had no connection to terrorism.

Following his release, the Service provided initial financial support worth N2 million to assist his reintegration and restoration of his livelihood.

“There are many more instances where DSS investigations have established innocence and have been followed by efforts to facilitate reintegration,” stated the source, adding, “these are the kind of measures the DSS is using to build public trust.”

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