News
Plateau NLC To Picket Assembly Over Lawmakers’ Pension Bill
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Plateau State has announced plans to picket the Plateau State House of Assembly on July 30 over the proposed bill seeking pension and retirement benefits for members of the legislature.
The NLC, backed by the Trade Union Congress, TUC, and the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Plateau State, described the proposed legislation as anti-people, self-serving and insensitive, warning that the protest would continue until the bill was withdrawn.
The position was made known on Wednesday during a joint press conference in Jos.
Speaking at the briefing, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Plateau State Council, Comrade Eugene Manji, said organised labour would resist every attempt by lawmakers to pass the bill, insisting that legislators should focus on making laws that improve the welfare of the people rather than pursuing personal benefits.
Manji accused members of the Assembly of abusing the autonomy granted to state legislatures by promoting policies that serve their personal interests.
According to him, organised labour and civil society groups fought for legislative autonomy to strengthen democratic governance, not to encourage self-enrichment.
“We are picketing the Plateau State House of Assembly on July 30, and we will remain there until this bill is withdrawn. We have the capacity to sustain the protest if necessary,” he said.
He called on Governor Caleb Mutfwang to intervene and stop the proposed legislation, warning that allowing it to pass could generate unnecessary tension in the state.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Plateau State Council, Comrade Kenneth Shammah, described the proposed pension package as insensitive, particularly at a time the state was still struggling to clear pension arrears dating back to 1986.
“It is unfortunate that while the government is battling to clear pension arrears, lawmakers who have served only four years want to place themselves on lifetime pension.
“Many parents of these lawmakers are still waiting to receive their pensions. We reject the bill in its entirety,” he said.
Shammah argued that legislators remained capable of contributing to society after leaving office and should not depend on lifetime pensions after serving a single tenure.
On his part, the Convener of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Plateau State, Mr. Steve Aluko , aligned with Labour’s position, describing the bill as undemocratic, extortionist and against the principles of transparency and accountability.
He said public office was meant for service and not personal enrichment.
“If this bill is not withdrawn, we will join organised labour in shutting down the State House of Assembly until the lawmakers retrace their steps,” he said.
The coalition also warned that it would publish the names of lawmakers sponsoring the bill and mobilise their constituents against them, urging Plateau residents, religious organisations and other stakeholders to support the planned protest.
News
Police Arrest Suspected Eiye Cultist, Recover Two Pistols, Cartridges In Ogun
Operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Squad of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested a 26-year-old suspected cultist and recovered two locally made pistols, three live cartridges and a battle axe in the Atan area of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Council of the state.
The suspect, identified as Okiki Muhammed Adewusi, popularly known as “Baba Obo”, was arrested in the Ore area of Atan on October 26, 2026, following intelligence received by operatives of SWAT Base 7, Abule Iroko, Sango-Ota.
The Police Spokesperson, Oluseyi Babaseyi, confirmed the arrest in a statement in Abeokuta yesterday.
According to Babaseyi, a search of the suspect’s residence after his arrest led to the recovery of a locally made pistol and three live cartridges.
He added that preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect had allegedly admitted to being a member of the Eiye Confraternity.
Babaseyi said information obtained from the suspect led to a follow-up operation at about 6.30 a.m. on October 27, 2026 during which operatives recovered a second locally made pistol and a battle axe from a separate location.
The recovered items have been secured as exhibits, while efforts are ongoing to arrest other suspects believed to be involved in the activities and recover additional weapons.
The police spokesperson said investigations were ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the case.
The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the SWAT operatives for their vigilance, professionalism and effective use of intelligence.
Ojajuni reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks, curbing cult-related activities and tackling the illegal possession of firearms across the state.
He urged residents to provide timely and credible information about suspected criminal activities, assuring them that the Command would act on actionable intelligence to protect lives and property and maintain public safety.
News
Court Arraigns Journalist In Benue
A Benue State High Court, presided over by Justice Mary Abounu, has arraigned the Benue State correspondent of Aljazirah Newspaper, Henry Ibya, in Makurdi over alleged cyberstang.
The trial judge had sought the prosecution’s response to the defendant’s argument that the journalist was reliable and should be granted bail.
The absence of the prosecution counsel in court did not stop the proceedings, as the defendant’s counsel, Tom Uja, Esq., notified the court of his bail application for his client.
He stated that the prosecution had taken the journalist to two other courts in the state on the same charge and that his client had never failed to appear in court whenever required.
Although the prosecutor’s absence did not affect the judge’s decision to proceed and grant bail, which was also believed to be in the interest of justice, the matter was adjourned until November 5, 2026.
One Terna Abuul, said to be the Director of ICT at Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi, reported Henry Ibya to the Nigeria Police Force, Benue State Command.
The director had accused the journalist of allegedly reporting mismanagement in the institution’s ICT department.
According to Abuul, Ibya’s report accused him of wrongdoing.
On the strength of the said report, the journalist was arraigned before the High Court in Makurdi.
News
N1m Minimum Wage Will Collapse Nigerian Economy — NLC President, Ajaero
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, has explained why a N1,000,000 minimum wage would collapse the Nigerian economy.
He disclosed this during an interview on Thursday.
Ajaero said that while the NLC and the Federal Government were in talks over a minimum wage review, the real issue was to reduce the cost of living and boost the purchasing power of the country’s currency.
Ajaero stressed that the government must first address the underlying factors driving the high cost of living and strengthen the purchasing power of the country’s currency.
His comments come as the Federal Government recently approved a N70,000 transport allowance for workers amid rising fuel prices and the increasing cost of living.
Meanwhile, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero, has said it would be unfair to expect the labour union to stage protests over every N1 per litre increase in fuel prices in Nigeria’s deregulated downstream petroleum sector.
He disclosed this on Wednesday while responding to questions during an interview.
Ajaero, who appeared visibly angry at a question about his performance as NLC president over the past three years, clarified that the union had played its part in standing against economic hardship.
He explained that the NLC had been vocal in protesting the hardship faced by Nigerian workers.
“It will be unfair to expect NLC to protest or shut down the economy over every N1 per litre fuel price hike in Nigeria’s deregulated downstream petroleum sector,” Ajaero said.
The NLC had threatened to shut down economic activities over rising fuel prices and the minimum wage review on October 27, 2026. However, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration intervened with the approval of a N70,000 transport allowance for public workers.
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