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NLC Threatens Showdown Over N70,000 Minimum Wage Default

The Nigeria Labour Congress has warned state governments and other employers of labour, threatening decisive action against those who fail to implement the N70,000 national minimum wage and the corresponding salary adjustments by the end of the first quarter of 2025.
The warning was made by the President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, Mohammed Ibrahim, during the association’s National Leadership Retreat in Abuja on Wednesday.
Ibrahim, who also serves as the National Internal Auditor of the NLC, emphasised that state governments and institutions delaying or manipulating wage payments would face serious consequences.
Addressing journalists, Ibrahim criticised what he called the insincerity of some state governments and employers, accusing them of merely treating the wage increase as an “award” without proper implementation.
“The national minimum wage has been signed into law, and payments should have commenced nationwide. However, in most institutions and states, what they did was just to announce a figure without truly implementing it,” he said.
He noted that the intervention of the NLC had already forced some state governments to rush into agreements—many of which, he described, as “kangaroo agreements that have not seen the light of day.”
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He said, “But I am happy that the NLC is not sleeping on this matter and that we have been engaging. And you can see that it was only when the NLC gave the directive that any state government that refused to implement the national minimum wage should face a strike, that you started seeing different state governors rushing to sign.
“Most of them are even kangaroo agreements that have not seen the light of day. “
Ibrahim assured Nigerian workers that the NLC would not relent in its fight for full compliance.
“But going forward, I can assure you, because I am the National Internal Auditor of the NLC and at the level of leadership, we are taking very stringent measures to ensure that between now and the end of this first quarter, any state or employer of labour that refuses to implement the national minimum wage and refuses to adjust workers’ salaries accordingly will face the consequences. The labour laws are there, and we have all that it takes to enforce our rights against those employers,” he said.
Reacting to allegations that members of the National Assembly were demanding N8 million from university Vice Chancellors before approving their institutions’ budgets, Ibrahim said if the claims were true, SSANU and other labour unions would resist such corrupt practices.
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He stated, “Well, number one, I am not a Vice Chancellor, and therefore I cannot speak on behalf of Vice Chancellors. But when too much of rumours, naturally metamorphose into a reality, before the budget defence, we didn’t hear about this allegation.
“Now that the budget defence is going on, we have heard the allegations, and we have not seen anybody from the Senate or from the House of Representatives coming out to deny it. We just pray that that is not true. Our unions will also look at this very passionately as we resume this year.
“And I’m telling you, the National Assembly is not too big for us to fight. We will fight them because all of them belong to our constituencies and we will chase them out without further delay, we will only work with progressives.”
He lamented that many universities in Nigeria are unable to afford their electricity bills and questioned where they would find money for bribes.
“If our leaders in the National Assembly are the ones demanding such payments, then our unions will take a stand. The National Assembly is not too big for us to fight. We will resist them because they are representatives of our constituencies,” he vowed.
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On the challenges faced by labour unions, Ibrahim admitted that strike actions have lost their effectiveness due to government indifference and worker fatigue.
“Some of our own members sabotage our collective struggle by engaging in blackmail and underhand dealings to derail strikes. But this happens in every sector,” he noted.
While acknowledging the limitations of industrial actions, he stressed that SSANU and other unions were exploring alternative strategies for negotiation.
He also emphasised the importance of capacity-building and continuous training for university staff to ensure that Nigerian universities remain centres of excellence.
“SSANU is an affiliate of the NLC, and we have benefited from international training programs. It is important that we bring this knowledge home and share it with our members,” he said.
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[JUST IN] Trump’s Threat: Nigeria Ready To Work With US, Other Countries To Wipe Out Terrorists – FG

The Federal Government has said Nigeria is willing to work with the United States and other countries to wipe out remnants of terrorists and criminal elements in Nigeria.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this during a world press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.
While acknowledging that Nigeria is faced with insecurity challenges, he clarified that it is not targeted at any religion or group, as peddled by faulty data.
He saud in the last two years, President Bola Tinubu has deepened his commitment to dealing with insecurity, evident in the country’s improved standing on the Global Terrorism Index and recent change of security service chiefs.
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He called on the United States and other nations to support President Tinubu in ridding the menace of criminals and terrorists making life unbearable for Nigerians.
“The Nigerian government is willing to work with other international bodies, including the United States, to ensure that criminals are permanently wiped out.
“We welcome support from international partners, including the US, to deal with its security challenges.
“President Tinubu is taking the lead to resolve all challenges with the US, including other countries.
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“Nigeria is not running away from the fact that we have a big insecurity situation.
“The government and people of Nigeria have taken note of the US stance over the alleged violation of human rights.
“President Tinubu is determined to confront and end security challenges,” he said.
Recall that last week, US President Donald Trump threatened military action in Nigeria if nothing is done about alleged killings of Christians.
This comes after Trump designated Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’.
News
Edo Twin Babies Died Of Natural Causes — Autopsy Report

An autopsy report regarding the death of twin babies who were referred to a medical facility in Benin has revealed that the babies died naturally.
The twin babies were referred to Med-Vical Medical Centre, Benin, on August 2025 in a severely ill condition and extremely premature.
The babies died in the hospital which led to family members and friends accusing the hospital of masterminding the death of the twins through negligence.
The widespread of allegations prompted the Edo State Police Command to initiate an investigation into circumstances surrounding the death of the babies.
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In the autopsy report conducted by a team of pathologists —Dr. Ducan Iyawe, Dr. D.E Imasogie, Dr. K.O Abinokhauno, and Dr Ijomone, and made available to newsmen on Wednesday, it was revealed that the baby died of natural causes.
The final report was read in the presence of the Edo State Commissioner of Police, the state Ministry of Health, and the Nigerian Medical Association (Edo State Chapter) on Wednesday.
The findings listed the cause of death as foetal squames in the lungs leading to respiratory distress, acute foetal asphyxia, neonatal sepsis and bronchopneumonia
“The autopsy has shown clearly that the baby died of natural causes and there was in fact no case of negligence, secrecy, or any form of malpractice as alleged,” the report stated.
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The medical team emphasized that all the babies’ organs were intact, adding that death resulted from complications associated with extreme prematurity and severe illness.
“The twin babies were originally delivered prematurely in another hospital, referred to another private facility before subsequent referral to Med-Vical Medical Centre for advanced neonatal intensive care and life support.
“Despite the hospital’s intervention, the infants could not survive the severe complications linked to their early birth and critical conditions,” the report stated.
Reacting to the report, Ms. Onyedikachi Nwizu of Med-Vical Medical Centre’s Management, expressed relief at the findings, but described the allegations as “false, malicious, and devilish.”
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She disclosed that though pained by the loss of the babies, the hospital had instructed its legal team to take steps to redeem its reputation, which had been “seriously dented” by the false accusations.
Recall that parents of the babies, Mr Jerry Sylvester and Mrs. Edwina Jerry had earlier petitioned the Edo State Commissioner of Police, accusing Med-Vical of professional misconduct and concealment.
Their allegations circulated widely on social media and were reported by several news outlets, prompting the police to order a formal autopsy to ascertain the cause of death.
News
Ex-IYC President Demands Toru-Ebe, Oil River States Creation, 33 LGs In Bayelsa

Pioneer president of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC),
Dr Felix Tuodolo, has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to create Toru-Ebe and Oil River states.
The former commissioner for Ijaw Affairs in Bayelsa State also urged the government at the centre to create 33 Thirty-three (33) additional Local Government Councils for Bayelsa State.
Tuodolo, who said Bayelsa is one of the largest oil and gas producing states in Nigeria, added that the state accounts for a substantial portion of the country’s oil production, estimated to be around 35-45%.
He noted that despite the state’s significant contribution to Nigeria’s GDP, land and river mass and huge potentials for steady growth and development, the state currently had only eight (8) Local Government Areas, emphasising that Thirty-three LGAs were proposed for creation to make Bayelsa a constitutional state since the 1999 Constitution stipulates that every state must have a minimum of ten LGAs.
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The statement read, “Importantly, the three major tribes in Nigeria all have their own states. The Yorubas have six states, the Hausa- Fulani has 19 northern states and the Igbo has five, and now seven with the resolutions to create a sixth state for them and an extra state in each Geo-political zone, which Ijaws strongly supports. But the Ijaws do not have a single state because the only Ijaw state, namely, Bayelsa, does not even meet the requirement of a state with only eight LGAs. The proposed new thirty-three LGAs for Bayelsa must be created for the Ijaws to accept that they have a state. Nigeria should take seriously the creation of 33 additional LGAs in Bayelsa State. This 33 LGs creation was as old as the creation of Bayelsa State.
“These including other demands made by the INC Global in the envisaged new constitution include: (d) Protection and remediation of the Ijaw environment (6) Federal resource contribution through resource control and payment of tax (1) True federal Constitution (with no unitary colouration) (g) Reintegration of own vide the wholesale prosecution of the Ijaw struggle for self-determination, which had lasted centuries (h) Improve the quality and quantity of representation in the Ijaw region”, he added.
Dr Tuodolo also threw his weight behind the call by the INC Global the creation of Toru Ebe State out of the present Ondo, Edo and Delta States.
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He argued that the oil revenue from the Ijaw areas in the three states accounts for the largest revenue accruing to the National Economy, stressing that despite the receipt of the 13% Derivation Revenue by the 3 states (Delta, Edo and Ondo), the Ijaw areas which are mineral producing had been denied of any meaningful development.
“The proposed state with a population of 2.7million people has natural landscapes with beautiful beaches and lengthy coastline which can be annexed into a blue economy and tourism that will make the State economically viable”, he noted.
The INC Global also demanded the creation of the oil river state.
“We proposed Oil Rivers State that will comprise Ijaws in Rivers and Akwa ibom States. These areas remain the most naturally blessed but environmentally degraded in the entire world with massive oil (exploration) and gas flaring threatening the very survival of the People”, he emphasised.
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