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Teachers’ Pay Dispute Shuts Abuja Schools For Months

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Teachers' Pay Dispute Shuts Abuja Schools For Months

Affecting more than 400 schools in Abuja, the prolonged closure has left over 50,000 pupils without lessons, according to the teachers’ union, in a country where more than 20 million children are already out of school.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in the capital says it will not call off its strike until the 70,000 naira ($45) national minimum wage is implemented and outstanding salaries and entitlements are settled.

President Bola Tinubu signed the new wage into law in July 2024, more than doubling the west African country’s previous minimum wage of 30,000 naira.

The move was meant to soften the effects of rampant inflation that has followed the government’s economic reforms over the past two years. Yet implementation has lagged nationwide as local governments have been left to institute the wage hikes.

“We went on two warning strikes and we are currently on the third,” union leader Abdullahi Mohammed Shafas told AFP. “Despite arguments and promises, the government has not been able to fulfil any till now.”

Critics have blamed Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, which includes Abuja, for the impasse.

Wike says he has approved the new wages, accusing the local government councils of failing to pay.

‘Sitting at home’
Elisha Goni, a teacher at a public elementary school in Abuja’s Garki neighbourhood, said he hardly scrapes by on his 120,000 naira salary — which would also be bumped up if the new minimum wage is applied.

“I can barely cater for myself, not to talk of my family, from the little I am earning,” said Goni who lives 50 kilometres (30 miles) from his workplace to evade the expensive rent in the city centre. “Teachers cannot be lecturing on empty stomachs.”

At a Local Education Authority (LEA) primary school, the gate creaks in the wind as an AFP reporter entered while a security guard dozed off in his wooden chair — his new routine since the classrooms went quiet early this year.

“I used to be busy controlling students from roaming around the gate, helping teachers, watching the kids,” the 54-year-old, who gave his name as Abdu, said.

For many pupils, the disruption means more than boredom.

Blessing, 10, should have been preparing for her final exam to enter junior secondary school.

But instead she sat under the scorching sun, scooping ground chillies into small plastic bags at her mother’s roadside milling shop.

Her mother Mary, who only gave her first name, said she was considering enrolling Blessing in a nearby private school, “even though it is poorly rated”.

“At least she won’t just be sitting at home,” Mary muttered, her eyes fixed on the busy roadside.

Nigerian television footage has shown small protests by placard-waving pupils in uniform, chanting that they want to return to school.

One of the placards read: “You call us leaders of tomorrow while stopping our school for nine weeks.”

The strike comes as a further blow to an already creaky education system that sees millions of children fail to attend regularly, while adults contend with Nigeria’s worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.

France24.com

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[JUST IN] Wike’s Assassination Plot: Police Take Action On Top Governor Fubara’s Ally; Nigerians React

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The Nigeria Police Force, through the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), has finally invited Tammy Wenike Danagogo, former Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), over the allegation that he was speaking in a leaked telephone conversation, discussing how to assassinate the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

Danagogo is a top ally of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers. It was alleged that the governor’s ally was making the call with Tombari Joseph Gbeneol, a medical doctor and founder of Life Forte Chapel Church in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

In the leaked conversation, Danagogo and Gbeneol were said to have discussed how they could bring in an Israeli national to assassinate the minister of the FCT, and it ended with an alleged plan to urge Governor Fubara to fund the execution.

Last week, Benjamin Hundeyin, the public relations officer of the police, reportedly revealed the arrest of Gbeneol in a statement on Tuesday, January 6, where he disclosed that further information on the issue would be made available after the interrogation had been completed.

This is coming amid the heated political tension between Wike and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Since the Christmas holiday, the two political leaders have been throwing banters at each other. The governor has been accused of ignoring the peace agreement he signed with President Bola Tinubu in 2025.

The news of the police invitation to Danagogo was shared by Lere Olayinka, a media aide to Wike. The development has started generating reactions from some Nigerians. Below are some of their reactions:

Olufemi Aluko described it as a joke:

“Once I saw Israel, I just started laughing. We’re not serious in this country. I just knew it had to be a joke.”

Seyi questioned: “Leaked conversation. Yeah. How many phone taps do the DSS actually have running?”

Dare called for a deeper investigation: “Has it got to this? This is barbaric. If found culpable, he should be made to face the law.”

Meenah condemned the development:
“Another shocking development. When close allies of a governor are linked to alleged assassination plots, it raises serious questions about leadership and accountability. Rivers State deserves leaders who unify, not ones whose associates spark fear and chaos.”

Read more reactions to the news from X here: /

 

 

 

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BREAKING: Grief, Lamentation As 3 APC Chieftains Die

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The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has lost three of its chieftains in Kogi to the cold hand of death. The APC chieftains are Alih Atabo, Onojah James Ignatius, and Jatto Onimisi Suleiman.

Kingsley Fanwo, the state’s commissioner for information and communication, announced their deaths in a statement in Lokoja, the state capital, on Monday, January 12.

According to Fanwo, the government and people of Kogi received the death of the APC chieftains with profound sorrow, describing them as distinguished sons of the state.

The statement reads in part: From breaking news to viral moments. “Hon. Onojah James Ignatius, Special Adviser to the Governor of Kogi State and former Chairman of Igalamela Local Government Area; Hon. Jatto Onimisi Suleiman, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor; and Alhaji Alih Atabo, APC Chairman of Anyigba Ward in Dekina Local Government Area.”

The Punch reported that Fanwo maintained that the deceased served the state and the APC with uncommon loyalty, dedication and commitment.

However, the state government did not disclose the causes of their deaths but conveyed Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s condolences to the family, friends, associates and the APC family in the state.

Nigerians have therefore reacted to the news of their deaths differently:

Adeyemi condemned Nigerians mocking the dead: “It is truly heartbreaking how many Nigerians have lost their humanity. When a fellow human being passes away, the only thing some people can do is mock them over petty political differences. It’s a disgrace. Death is inevitable for us all; those who are mocking the dead today should remember that they could be the victims tomorrow.”

Chiedozie Onyeke prayed for them: “God should have allowed them to enjoy Tinubu’s reforms small. May their souls rest in peace.”

Uzochukwu Agu O.G. made an unverified claim: “They were clogs in the wheel of Yahaya Bello’s Ambition. It is what it is. The next set of chieftains to replace them will unilaterally call for Yahaya Bello to run for Senate.”

Adams Azeez prayed for the deceased: “Whatever your politics, death is a reminder that power is temporary. May their souls rest in peace, and may their families find strength.”

Ajayi Ogidiolu demanded more clarity about their death: “When did they die? Died or killed? The information is not really clear.”

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BREAKING: KWAM 1 Writes Ogun Govt, Accuses Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Plot to Exclude Him From Awujale Selection

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Popular Fuji musician and Olori Omooba of Ijebu land, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, widely known as KWAM1, has written to Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, alleging that he is being deliberately sidelined from the ongoing process to select the next Awujale of Ijebu land.

Ayinde, in a petition dated January 8, 2026, accused the Fusengbuwa ruling house next in line to produce the monarch of taking actions that allegedly violate the Chieftaincy Declaration and the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State. He claimed the moves were designed to disenfranchise him from contesting for the revered throne.

The letter, written on his behalf by his lawyer, Dr. Wahab Shittu, SAN, was addressed to Governor Abiodun and outlined what the Fuji star described as procedural irregularities in the selection process.

According to the petition, the contest for the Awujale stool has attracted over 60 aspirants, with Ayinde formally declaring his interest. However, the Fusengbuwa family has maintained that KWAM1 is not a member of the ruling house and is therefore ineligible to participate in the exercise.

Before writing to the governor, Ayinde had approached the Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebu Ode, seeking an interim injunction to restrain Governor Abiodun and six others from continuing with the selection process. The court, however, dismissed the application, ruling that it lacked merit. The musician later withdrew the suit without publicly stating his reasons.

In his latest letter, Ayinde disclosed that the Ijebu Ode Local Government, via a letter dated January 6, 2026, signed by its Secretary, Oke Adebanjo, had approved the commencement of the selection process by the ruling house.

He expressed surprise that while members of the Fusengbuwa family were preparing for a general meeting, the family’s Public Relations Officer, Prince Adeleye Lateef Ademuyiwa, allegedly issued a notice directing aspirants to collect nomination forms and appear before a screening committee.

The screening committee, according to Ayinde, is chaired by Prince Alhaji Mitiu Adenuga. He further alleged that the directive fixed the nomination exercise for Monday, January 12, 2026, while also stating that the process would be conducted by delegates to be selected at a meeting scheduled for January 10, 2026.

Ayinde argued that the sequence of events was confusing, contradictory, and contrary to established laws guiding traditional chieftaincy matters in Ogun State.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Ogun State Government nor the Fusengbuwa ruling house had officially responded to the allegations.

Lagos Reporters will continue to monitor developments surrounding the Awujale succession process and provide updates as the story unfolds.

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