News
Minimum Wage: Strike begins in five states, FCT as panel meets
Barring any last-minute change of plan, the workers in the Federal Capital Territory, Cross River, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Kaduna and Zamfara states may down tools on Monday (today) following the failure of the state authorities to negotiate the payment of the N70,000 new minimum wage.
Though the implementation panels set up by the concerned states have been meeting with labour leaders in a bid to ward off the strike action, the various state chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress have expressed their readiness to embark on a strike from today.
The FCT Council of the NLC had earlier directed the workers in the six Area Councils to embark on an indefinite strike on December 1 until further directives were issued.
This was contained in a letter signed by the Chairman of the FCT Council of the NLC, Stephen Knabayi, on Saturday.
This followed the directive of the NLC leadership to workers in 14 states and the FCT to embark on industrial action from Sunday over the non-implementation of the new minimum wage.
Knabayi faulted the failure of the area council chairmen to respond to the demand for the implementation of the minimum wage, despite receiving the communique of the National Executive Council of the NLC dated November 14, 2024.
The Nasarawa State chapter of the NLC on Sunday declared its readiness to declare a strike if the minimum wage was not paid.
The state NLC Chairman, Ismaila Okoh, disclosed that a notice of strike had been issued to all the labour members.
He, however, revealed that the Nasarawa State government had reached an agreement with the union to pay N70,500 to the workers, adding that no document had been signed regarding the implementation.
He said, “We have notified all our members to embark on strike tomorrow (today) because of the non-implementation of the national minimum wage in the state.
“Although the minimum wage committee set up by the state government has agreed to start paying N70,500, no document has been signed to that effect up till this moment.
“So, we are observing the situation to see if the documents on the minimum wage will be signed before tomorrow morning. However, if nothing is done between now and midnight, our members will have to fully comply with the strike as they were directed.”
To avert a shutdown, the Kaduna State Government said it had commenced the implementation of the new national minimum wage, with the least-paid worker in the state receiving N72,000 as gross salary in November.
The PUNCH reports that many states agreed to pay above the N70,000 minimum wage, with Kaduna State offering its workers N72,000 as minimum wage.
Despite the positive development, the state chapter of the NLC confirmed its planned strike.
The state’s chairman of the NLC, Ayuba Suleiman, said the workers would embark on a strike as directed by the NLC leadership.
When asked if the NLC was prepared to embark on a strike, Suleiman replied, “Yes, we are set for the strike.”
However, a statement on Sunday by Ibraheem Musa, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Uba Sani, insisted it was “a misrepresentation for the NLC to claim that the state has defaulted in the payment of the new minimum wage.”
Musa noted that the state government had complied with the letter of the National Minimum Wage Law.
“His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, has complied with the spirit and letter of the National Minimum Wage Law, by paying the lowest paid civil servant N72,000 last month,” he said.
He added that the NLC had been pushing for consequential adjustments but the state government argued that there was a difference between salary increments and the minimum wage.
Musa explained that the state government received an average of N8bn from the Federal Allocation and generated around N4bn monthly, totalling N12bn revenue.
However, he said with the implementation of the minimum wage, the monthly wage bill had increased from N5.4bn to N6.3bn, including N4bn deduction for loan payments every month.
This, he said, left only N2bn for rural transformation, healthcare, education, and other public services in the state.
“It will be unfair for Kaduna State Government to spend almost all its revenue on consequential adjustments, after paying the mandatory minimum wage.
“There are over 10 million people who are also entitled to the accrued revenue of Kaduna State. There are 84,827 civil servants in the state. So, it is unreasonable for the government to spend over 90 per cent of its revenue on just about one per cent of the population,” he added.
Musa urged the NLC to exercise patience over the consequential adjustments, pending when the state government’s revenue improved.
“Governor Uba Sani is labour-friendly. He has demonstrated this by providing buses for civil servants to commute to work free of charge, as part of the palliatives to cushion the prevailing economic challenges,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the NLC in Ebonyi State, Dr Oguguo Egwu, disclosed that the state workers had been directed to join the ongoing industrial action from today.
According to him, the warning strike, which will last one week, was sequel to the failure of Governor Francis Nwifuru to implement the new national minimum wage.
He said, “Talking about the new national minimum wage as it concerns Ebonyi State, our governor on September 11 at the Ojiji festival of Izzi Kingdom announced the new minimum wage of N70,000 and we are all aware of that.
“We were very happy and excited that Ebonyi would be among the first states to implement the wage. But subsequently, there was no communication and no information.
“And we heard that the governor wanted to implement the national minimum wage without any due process of collective bargaining where both the workers and government angle would meet to agree on the consequential adjustment.”
Also, the Zamfara State NLC secretary, Ahmed Abubakar, said workers in the state had yet to receive the new minimum wage, and as such had no alternative but to join the strike.
He said, “We are going to join the strike as directed by the national body of our great union to express our anger over the non-payment of the new minimum wage.”
Abubakar, however, explained that the union would continue to dialogue with the state government on the issue.
The organised labour in Cross River is set for an industrial action over the non-implementation of the new minimum wage in the state.
The Cross River State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Gregory Ulayi, disclosed that the union would embark on an indefinite strike if the state government failed to implement the new minimum wage to workers.
However, it was learnt that the state government reached an agreement with the state chapters of the NLC and TUC late on Sunday night to pay the N70,000 wage to its workers.
Calls to the NLC and TUC officials to clarify whether the state workers would still embark on strike were not answered as at the time of filing this report.
Credit: PUNCH
Troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have rescued 31 abductees and neutralized two terrorists, including a suspected kingpin, during separate operations in Katsina and Kebbi states.
The military also arrested two suspected terrorists and recovered ammunition, a motorcycle, camouflage clothing and other items during the operations conducted on September 14 and 15, 2026.
The Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North West, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, September 16.
According to the statement, troops in Katsina rescued 10 kidnap victims, comprising three males and seven females, after responding to distress reports from Unguwan Daudu and Unguwan Chibauna communities in Funtua Local Government Area.
The troops reportedly launched a hot pursuit of the fleeing terrorists and engaged them in a gun battle, forcing them to abandon the victims.
Among those rescued was an infant.
The victims were subsequently taken into military custody for necessary assistance and further action.
21 Victims Rescued in Kebbi
Also on September 14, troops operating in Kebbi State responded to a distress call following the abduction of civilians from Fafala Village in Kangiwa Local Government Area.
Acting on intelligence, the troops launched a fighting patrol towards Fafala and Dandikwa, where they reportedly engaged the terrorists in a heavy exchange of gunfire.
The terrorists were forced to withdraw from the area, allowing the troops to continue their operation and rescue 21 kidnapped victims.
The rescued civilians were later reunited with their families.
Terrorist Kingpin Killed in Katsina
The following day, September 15, troops in Katsina reportedly foiled an attempted terrorist attack on communities in Matazu and Kankara local government areas.
Acting on intelligence, the troops moved towards a suspected terrorist hideout and engaged the group with superior firepower.
The military said two terrorists were killed during the encounter, including Abbah Alhassan, whom it identified as a known terrorist kingpin.
Other terrorists reportedly escaped into the surrounding bush.
Troops recovered 10 rounds of ammunition, a motorcycle, a cutlass, camouflage clothing and suspected Indian hemp from the area.
Two Suspects Arrested
In another operation on September 15, troops arrested two suspected terrorists around the Yantumaki general area of Dan Musa Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Preliminary interrogation reportedly indicated that the suspects were associated with a suspected terrorist kingpin identified as Mannori.
The suspects remain in military custody while investigations continue.
The Joint Task Force said the operations demonstrate its continued efforts to rescue kidnapped civilians, disrupt terrorist networks and restrict the movement and operational freedom of armed groups across its area of responsibility.
The task force also commended residents for providing security-related information and urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements and activities to the nearest security agency.
By Gloria Ikibah
The National Assembly has transmitted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026 to the Houses of Assembly of the 36 states for consideration and approval.
The transmission, carried out on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, marks the next stage in the ongoing constitutional alteration process and was undertaken pursuant to a directive from the leadership of the National Assembly.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, Esq., said the Bill was transmitted to the state legislatures in compliance with the provisions of Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
Under Section 9, a bill seeking to alter the Constitution cannot be passed by either chamber of the National Assembly unless it is approved by resolutions of not less than two-thirds of the Houses of Assembly of the 36 states.
The state legislatures are therefore required to consider the proposed constitutional amendments in accordance with their respective legislative procedures and communicate their resolutions to the National Assembly after completing their deliberations.
Although the Constitution does not stipulate a specific timeframe within which state Houses of Assembly must respond to a constitutional alteration bill, the National Assembly said the state legislatures are expected to communicate their decisions within 30 days of receiving the Bill.
The National Assembly, however, stressed that the 30-day period is an administrative timeframe and not a constitutional deadline.
According to the Clerk, the timeframe is intended to promote an orderly, coordinated and timely conclusion of the constitutional amendment process while respecting the constitutional independence of the state legislatures.
What the Constitution Requires
Nigeria’s Constitution sets a deliberately high threshold for constitutional amendments because changes to the country’s supreme law require approval beyond the National Assembly alone.
In addition to the required approval by at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly, Section 9 prescribes other legislative requirements depending on the particular constitutional provisions being altered.
The process generally involves the introduction and passage of the alteration Bill by the National Assembly before it is transmitted to the state legislatures for consideration. The resolutions of the state assemblies are subsequently communicated to the National Assembly for the next stage of the process.
The requirement for state-level approval gives the 36 Houses of Assembly a constitutionally recognised role in determining whether proposed amendments can proceed.
The National Assembly said it recognises this responsibility and respects the independence of the state legislatures in considering the Bill.
National Assembly Seeks Coordinated Process
In the statement, the Clerk said the transmission was intended to facilitate the orderly discharge of the state assemblies’ constitutional responsibilities rather than interfere with their legislative processes.
“The National Assembly remains committed to ensuring that the constitutional alteration process is conducted in strict compliance with the Constitution,” the statement said.
It added that the process would be guided by due process, institutional cooperation and respect for the legislative responsibilities of all tiers of the legislature.
The National Assembly will await the resolutions of the 36 state Houses of Assembly before taking the subsequent steps required under the Constitution.
The transmission of the Sixth Alteration Bill comes amid continued efforts to amend aspects of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, a process that requires cooperation between the federal and state legislatures because of the constitutional threshold for altering the nation’s supreme law.
The statement was signed by Kamoru Ogunlana, Esq., Clerk to the National Assembly.
News
REVEALED: 11 Nigerian-Born Lawyers Hit by U.S. Disciplinary Actions Over Professional Violations
At least 11 Nigerian-born lawyers practising or based in the United States have faced suspension or other disciplinary measures over alleged or established professional violations, according to disciplinary records cited in a report by The Peoples Gazette.
The cases span several years and involve different jurisdictions and regulatory bodies, including state bar authorities, U.S. immigration authorities and the Board of Immigration Appeals.
The disciplinary matters range from unauthorised practice of law and failure to meet professional obligations to alleged misrepresentation, neglect of clients’ cases and mishandling of client funds.
The sanctions are not identical, and the grounds for disciplinary action vary from one case to another. Some of the lawyers have also reportedly been reinstated, while others remain suspended or have not been reinstated.
Below is a summary of the lawyers and the disciplinary actions reported against them.
1. Aloysius O. Ejimakor
Aloysius O. Ejimakor was suspended from practising law in New York for nine months in 2004 following disciplinary proceedings over alleged false claims concerning his professional qualifications.
According to a U.S. Department of Justice document, the Office of General Counsel for the Executive Office for Immigration Review commenced proceedings against him in July 2003.
The proceedings alleged that Ejimakor violated federal regulations by making false statements concerning his qualifications.
The report states that he had not been reinstated following the suspension.
2. Abiola O. Adesioye
Abiola O. Adesioye, based in the District of Columbia, was suspended in July 2025 by the Board of Immigration Appeals from practising before the board, U.S. immigration courts and the Department of Homeland Security.
The suspension followed an order issued by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals on March 25, 2025.
According to the report, disciplinary counsel for the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the Department of Homeland Security jointly petitioned for her immediate suspension under applicable federal regulations.
The Board of Immigration Appeals granted the petition pending the final resolution of the disciplinary proceedings.
3. Emelike Nwosuocha
Emelike Nwosuocha, who died on July 21, 2024, aged 64, faced disciplinary proceedings before his death.
According to the report, he was posthumously suspended for three years in 2024 over professional misconduct.
The disciplinary matter included an alleged failure to provide an affidavit required under an earlier suspension and failure to pay attorney fees owed to a defendant in a medical negligence lawsuit.
In 2023, Nwosuocha had reportedly received a six-month suspension after failing to respond to a disciplinary grievance.
The relevant disciplinary authorities subsequently affirmed the suspension.
4. Michael Ozulumba
Michael Ozulumba, who is based in Massachusetts, was reportedly suspended from practising before the Internal Revenue Service and the Executive Office for Immigration Review for two years.
The reported disciplinary findings involved professional misconduct, neglect of client cases and misrepresentations.
However, the supplied material contains a reference to a 2027 board decision. Since that date is still in the future as of September 16, 2026, that portion requires independent verification and has therefore not been treated here as an established past event.
5. Michael Imevbore Ojo
Michael Imevbore Ojo, based in Houston, Texas, was suspended from practising law for 12 months by the Evidentiary Panel of the District 4C05 Grievance Committee of the State Bar of Texas.
The disciplinary action reportedly involved alleged violations of Texas professional conduct rules, including neglect, failure to communicate with clients and failure to cooperate with a State Bar investigation.
Troops rescue 31 abductees, neutralize terrorist kingpin in Katsina, Kebbi
NASS Transmits 2026 Constitution Amendment Bill to 36 State Assemblies
REVEALED: 11 Nigerian-Born Lawyers Hit by U.S. Disciplinary Actions Over Professional Violations
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