Pensioners Threaten Nationwide Protest, Demand Governors Urgently Review Payment

The National Association of Retirees of State Governments has threatened a nationwide protest unless state governors urgently review pension payments in line with existing labour laws.

Simon Anchaver, president of the union, made the call in Yenagoa at the inauguration of the Bayelsa interim executive of the newly registered union.

The union demanded that the 36 state governors prioritise pension payments.

They equally called on President Bola Tinubu to establish a ministry for pension affairs to guarantee annual budgetary allocations for pensioners’ welfare.

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The union bemoaned the arbitrary payment of pensions by some governors, and commended the Nasarawa state governor for releasing N7 billion to clear pension arrears and gratuity.

Its national secretary, Bipre Ndiomu, said the union was newly registered and currently inaugurating state executives. He urged state governors to put in place the modalities to guarantee the welfare of pensioners across the country.

Protest Demolition

Bayelsa’s head of service, Wisdom Sawyer, urged the executive to serve as a bridge between retirees and the government, adding that the state government was open to engagement on outstanding issues.

The newly inaugurated state chairman, Bazigha Tanwei, accepted the mandate and promised an open-door policy, regular consultations with members, and sustained advocacy with the state government to clear arrears.

NNPC: Commissioning, Handover Of Rehabilitated Hospital Wards At National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi

This intervention forms part of the NNPC Foundation Ltd./Gte’s ongoing commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure across Nigeria, ensuring that more patients receive care in decent, functional facilities.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, 29th April 2026, the NNPC Foundation Ltd./Gte., the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of NNPC Limited, will commission and hand over three fully rehabilitated hospital wards with a 100-bed capacity at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos State.

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The event is scheduled to begin at 11:00 am prompt.

NNPC

This intervention forms part of the NNPC Foundation Ltd./Gte’s ongoing commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure across Nigeria, ensuring that more patients receive care in decent, functional facilities.

Watch the commissioning LIVE on the NNPC Limited YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nnpclimited/streams

Alleged N1.63b Money Laundering: EFCC Re-Arraigns Bauchi Accountant-General, One Other

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, re-arraigned Bauchi State Accountant General, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja and an unlicensed Bureau de Change operator, Aliyu Abubakar of Jasfad Resources Enterprises, before Justice O. A. Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The duo were re-arraigned on amended five-count charge, bordering on conversion of public funds belonging to Bauchi State Government, and money laundering to the tune of N1, 635, 270, 350.9k (One billion, Six Hundred and Thirty-five million, Two hundred and seventy thousand, Three hundred and fifty Naira, Nine kobo).

They were earlier arraigned on April 7, 2025, with Jaja as the first defendant, while Abubakar was the second, however, in the amended charge, marked FHC/ABJCR/101/2025, dated, January 5, 2026, and filed on the same date, Abubakar, trading under the name of Jasfad Resources Enterprise became the first defendant and Jaja, the second.

Early in the proceedings, prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed, SAN, informed the court that the prosecution has filed a second amended charge and prayed the court for the defendants to take their plea.

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Count two of the charge reads, “That you Aliyu Abubakar (trading under the name and style of “Jasfad Resources Enterprises” a purported Bureau de Change operator), Sirajo Muhammad Jaja (Accountant General of Bauchi State), Abubakar Muhammad Hafiz (at large), between 29 October, 2024 and 31st December, 2024 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence to wit: money laundering by converting the sum of One Billion, Two Hundred and Ninety Million, One hundred and Fifty four thousand, Three hundred and Thirty seven Naira, Two kobo (N1, 290,154,337.2) of public funds, belonging to Bauchi State Government which you transferred from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury Account, domiciled in United Bank for Africa with account number 1018819396 into the bank account of Jasfad Resources Enterprise domiciled in United Bank for Africa with account number 1023444660 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(b) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Count three reads; “That you Aliyu Abubakar (trading under the name and style of of “Jasfad Resources Enterprises” a purported Bureau de Change operator), Sirajo Muhammad Jaja (Accountant General of Bauchi State), Abubakar Muhammad Hafiz (at large), Ari Manga (at large), and Muhammad Aminu Bose (at large), between 3rd January, 2025 and 14th March 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence to wit: money laundering by converting the sum of Four hundred and twenty-six million, One hundred and sixteen Thousand, Thirteen Naira, Seven kobo (N426, 116,013.7) of the public funds, belonging to Bauchi State Government which you transferred from the Bauchi state Sub-Treasury Account, domiciled in the United Bank for Africa with account number 1018819396 into bank account of Jasfad Enterprise, domiciled in United Bank for Africa with account number 1023444660 and thereby, committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(b) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

They pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, following which the counsel to first and second defendants Gordy Uche, SAN, and Chris Uche, SAN, respectively applied for the defendants to continue to enjoy the bail granted them by the court, which was not objected by the prosecution counsel.

The first defendant’s counsel, further moved a motion challenging the competence of the charge, and asked the judge to strike out counts two, three, four and five for allegedly being a duplicity of action, and to save the defendants from suffering double jeopardy. This found support from the counsel to the second defendant, Chris Uche, SAN, while they faced objection from the prosecution counsel.

The court, however, reserved ruling on the contention till the end of trial, citing Section 395 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA 2015.

In continuation of the trial, the prosecution called its first witness, Prosecution Witness One, PW1, Abimbola Williams, a compliance officer with the United Bank for Africa (UBA) with 20 years’ experience.

She informed the court that the bank in February 2025, received a request from the EFCC for details of some of its clients.

“The request asked for the bank statements of Jaspa Resources account, Bauchi State Sub-treasury account and the documents were printed and copies given to EFCC,” she said.

The banker, who said that the documents were certified by her, tendered them through the prosecution and they were in evidence by the court and marked as exhibits. Although the defence lawyers raised an objection, they said their objection would be expounded in their written addresses.

Further in his testimony, the PW1 narrated to the court how money, running into multi-million Naira, belonging to Bauchi State was allegedly moved from Bauchi State Sub-treasury Account number: 1018819396, to Jasfad Resources Enterprise account number: 1023444660, domiciled in UBA.

EFCC re-arraigns Bauchi Accountant General,

She told the court that on October 29, 2024, there was a debit transfer from Bauchi State Sub-treasury Account to Jasfad Resources to the tune of N13, 144,500. Also that “On October 29, 2024, we have a debit transfer of 1N7,196,300. On October 30, 2024 there were two debit transfers from Bauchi Sub-treasury account to Jasfad Resources Enterprise, first for N50 million and the second for N7, 321,000,” he said.

The witness further disclosed that there were 18 other times, on different dates within the period that transfers were made from Bauchi State Sub-treasury Account to Jasfad Resources.

Following the conclusion of the PW1’s evidence-in-chief, Justice Egwuatu adjourned the matter until May 12 for continuation of trial.