After six years of waiting, teachers and education officers in Federal Unity Colleges owed three years of salary arrears have begun receiving payments, The Guardian can authoritatively report.

Over 1,700 employees recruited into the Federal Government Unity Colleges between 2019 and 2021 were affected by the backlog.

In 2023, The Guardian reported that the teachers protested at the Federal Ministry of Education, demanding payment of their arrears after several unacknowledged appeals to the government.

It has now been confirmed that the Federal Government has commenced disbursement of the arrears, with some affected teachers already receiving alerts.

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A reliable source told The Guardian that payment started on Tuesday in batches.

“They have commenced clearing our long-overdue salary arrears. They began yesterday (Tuesday) in batches,” the source said.

Confirming the development, Bobby Mark Winful, who spoke on behalf of the Coordination Team for Salary Arrears Officers (2018–2020 Sets), commended the Federal Government for resolving the long-standing issue that had caused hardship to affected teachers and their families.

Winful expressed appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, the Budget Office, and other relevant authorities for their roles in ensuring the commencement of payments after years of advocacy and engagement.

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He said, “Indeed, it has been by God’s mercy that we have come this far, and today, we witness the long-awaited commencement of payment of salary arrears for the 2018, 2019, and 2020 sets.

“This moment is not just a financial relief; it is a testimony of collective perseverance, unity, and faith.

“To our task force members, we extend our deepest appreciation. Your tireless efforts, countless travels, sleepless nights, and unyielding resolve made this progress possible.

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“To all our representatives across the Federal Unity Colleges, thank you for coordinating your schools and members with patience and leadership. You were the bridge between the officers and the process, ensuring that communication and cooperation flowed seamlessly.

“This success story is one of collective effort and divine timing. It proves that when people of purpose unite under a just cause, no obstacle is insurmountable. Together, we have turned patience into progress and struggle into celebration.”

Winful urged members to sustain the spirit of unity and commitment that led to the breakthrough, expressing optimism that the milestone would pave the way for greater achievements.

The supremacy battle between the Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP fighters and Boko Haram insurgents in the northern region has reportedly claimed about 200 lives of terrorists.

It was learnt that while about 200 ISWAP fighters were killed in the clash, four Boko Haram insurgents were also eliminated.

A counter-insurgency expert and security analyst Zagazola Makama disclosed this in a post on X, formerly Twitter, while sharing video of lifeless bodies of terrorists floating in a river.

“More bodies of ISWAP found after a deadly clash that resulted in the killing of 200 fighters by Boko Haram”, he wrote on X.

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It was gathered that the rival clash took place on the shores of Lake Chad near Dogon Chiku in the Northeast on Sunday.

DAILY POST reports that since ISWAP began as a splinter group from Boko Haram in 2016, both factions have repeatedly clashed.

The Northeast has been one of the regions in the country that is highly bedeviled by the activities of the criminal elements.

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The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has filed an application at the Court of Appeal, praying for a stay of further proceedings in his trial before Justice James Omotosho of Abuja Federal High Court.

In the motion, Kanu urged the Appeal Court to stay delivery of judgment pending the determination of the appeal.

Kanu’s appeal may impact the 20th November date fixed for delivery of judgment in the trial.

He filed the motion on notice in pursuant to section 36(1) of the Nigerian constitution.

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Recall that Justice Omotosho had fixed November 20 to deliver judgement in Kanu’s terrorism trial.

But the IPOB had contested the charge, stressing that he can’t be tried on the basis of a repealed law, the terrorism act.

Details soon…