By Philip Yatai

Angry workers on Monday shut the gates of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) as they began an indefinite strike over unresolved welfare concerns.

The workers, under the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC), have been appealing for urgent action to resolve the welfare issues affecting their morale and productivity.

The president of the union, Mrs Rifkatu Iortyer, told journalists that some of the concerns included non-remittance of pension and National Housing Fund deductions and no payments or overheads.

Other issues, she said, were unlawful restriction and centralisation of salary preparation and payment and non-payment of officers of the Abuja Environment Protection Board and Social Development Secretariat engaged to enforce laws and policies.

Also disturbing, according to Iortyer, is the absence of a financial threshold for Permanent Secretaries (PS) and Heads of SDAs and the elongation of tenure for some retired directors and PS.

She also listed other concerns, such as the non-payment of outstanding wage awards, unpaid promotion arrears, poor working conditions, staff intimidation and lack of training and retraining.

She said that the workers also rejected the mass failure recorded in the 2024 promotion examination and demanded its reversal.

The president said that the issues were not new but have been festering for far too long, causing undue hardship and frustration to the very individuals who have dedicated their lives to serving the country.

She said that the gates would remain locked until the issues were addressed.

“Although the management has called us for a meeting, we will not attend until we are sure some key persons will sit with us at the discussion table,’ she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the union had in June 2025 shut the gates of the secretariat to draw the attention of the administration with a view to resolving the issues. (NAN)

The Police Command in Nasarawa State said it has rescued 17 children from suspected human traffickers in Karu Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

Ramhan Nansel, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) stated this in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Lafia.

The PPRO described the feat as a significant breakthrough in the Command’s sustained efforts to combat human trafficking and other related crimes in the state.

 “Police personnel attached to Mararaba ‘A’ Division, Karu Local Government Area (LGA), while on stop-and-search duty at Sharp Corner, intercepted a white Volkswagen Sharon vehicle with registration number SHD 253 YU on Saturday, Jan.

 “The vehicle was driven by one Nanle John, male, aged 36 years, and had 17 passengers on board, comprising 11 boys and six girls, all within the ages of 10 to 19 years.

 “Upon interrogation, the occupants were suspected to be victims of human trafficking from Shendam, Plateau State,” the PPRO said.

Nansel said further investigation revealed that both the driver and the passengers were travelling from Shendam to Kayama in Kwara State to meet one Umaru.

According to the statement, the said Umaru allegedly lured the victims with the promise of securing farming jobs for them in Kayama, Kwara State.

The Police spokesperson said that all efforts made to contact their parents, guardians or the said Umaru proved abortive, as all phone numbers provided were unreachable.

Nansel said that the Commissioner of Police, Shetima Mohammed had ordered that the children be taken into protective custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Lafia.

He said the Commissioner had also directed a thorough investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident and to apprehend all those connected to this suspected human trafficking network.

Nansel gave the names of the victims as; Nanpar Zwaltur, Monday Zinglak, Ramnap Selchum, Nankat Ayuba, Burnan Yilkur, Timnan Ponfa, Nantip Nanbut, Kumlyan Nanbut, Zwalkur Zingdap and Nanfar Zwalkur.

Others are Nanpar Nanbut, Nanchu Bwoi, Godiya Lagang, Yulbyen Zingdap, Nanna Chirvyok, Sholyen Rapkat and Ladi Dinfa.

The PPRO reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to protecting vulnerable persons and eradicating human trafficking in the state.

He called on members of the public to report any suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station for prompt action.

From Attah Ede, Makurdi

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has commenced investigations into the alleged misappropriation over N4.6bn by some top officials of the Benue State Government.

It was also gathered that the executive chairmen from the 23 local government councils in the State have been visiting EFCC for interrogation.

It was further learnt that government officers are from Benue State Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs as well as some consultants.

The affected officials have been detained at the Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Makurdi over their involvement in the N4.

DAILY ASSET reliably gathered that the affected government officers had a few weeks ago honoured an invitation sent to them and are still cooling in the EFCC custody.

The EFCC is said to be investigating the alleged diversion of N4.6 billion meant for the local government in the state.

Some of the officers of the bureau invited for questioning are; the permanent secretary, Ayu Terna,  Bishop Dzungwe, Director of Finance and Administration, Bishop Dzungwe alongside two consultants, Abba Adaudu and Nongomi Ter Joshua.

It was alleged that funds were siphoned through the consultants under the guise of consultancy fees for auditing local government officials, pensioners, and Primary Health Care personnel across the 23 local government councils in the state.

One of the local government chairmen who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity confirmed the EFCC investigation into the consultancy fees allegedly running into N4.6 billion.

According to the chairman, the decision to approve the audit of the local governments due to rots they met on ground and the decision was taken during the Joint Account and Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting.

“The auditors were to audit the staff of the local government, pensioners, the primary healthcare and local government education authority personnel.

The chairman who spoke to our correspondent on Sunday further said, “These auditors began their work about two weeks ago and are still in my council right now “.

While stating that the audit is ongoing across the 23 LGAs in the state, the anonymous chairman said that the amount paid to higher the auditors varies, “depending on the extent of the workload they will be carried out in each LGA.”

The chairman who cautioned people not to play politics with the issue described the ongoing EFCC investigation as a ‘routine one’s, and added that all those invited so far were humiliated and commended the anti-graft agency for its professionalism in handling the ongoing investigation.