The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has called on the Federal Government to review its minimum wage.

Ajaero maintained that state governments initially presented as unable to afford higher wages are now paying more than the Federal Government.

The ₦70,000 minimum wage in Nigeria became law on July 29, 2024, when President Bola Tinubu signed the National Minimum Wage Act.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, Ajaero said labour accepted the ₦70,000 minimum wage partly because President Bola Tinubu asked them to consider the financial capacity of state governments.

According to him, the President indicated that he could afford a higher amount but raised concerns about what the states could pay.

“Part of the reason we agreed on 70,000, the president said, and I quote, you know, I can afford to pay 150,000, you know, but the sub-nationals, you have to put them into consideration in deciding, you know, this 70,000 Naira minimum wage and we were keyed into it,” Ajaero said.

The NLC president said the negotiations had reached a deadlock over ₦60,000 before direct talks between labour and the President produced the ₦70,000 agreement.

“That was a negotiation between us and the president directly, not the minimum wage committee,” he said.

However, Ajaero said subsequent wage decisions by state governments had called into question the affordability concerns raised during the negotiations.

He cited Imo State as paying ₦104,000, saying some other states were paying ₦100,000, ₦85,000, ₦84,000 and ₦75,000.

“I think the least could be 72 or more. All the states are paying more than the federal government,” he said.

Ajaero questioned why the Federal Government had retained its rate despite the higher amounts he said states were paying.

He argued that the development warranted a fresh assessment of the Federal Government’s position on workers’ pay.

“So I think it’s incumbent on the federal government to go back to the drawing board and find out what is happening,” he said.

After foiling a kidnap plot against one female cleric in Abuja, the Nigerian Police Force have warned worshippers against publicly sharing personal achievements during church testimonies.

The warning came after four members of a church were arrested over an alleged plot to kidnap Prophetess Elizabeth, who was reportedly targeted after sharing a testimony about her achievements.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Intelligence Response Team, Adamu Muazu, gave the warning on Thursday while parading the suspects, saying the planned attack was to be carried out after an evening service.

Muazu urged church leaders, particularly those operating in isolated locations, to strengthen security arrangements and ensure the safety of members attending evening services.

He cautioned worshippers against assuming that everyone in a congregation had good intentions.

“You can’t go to a church located on outskirts and you go to evening prayers and closing in the evening, coming down to your home after making testimony of what you have achieved in life, you know?” he said.

He added, “It doesn’t conform with common sense and rationality in the midst of a gathering of people watching you, thinking that they are all men of God. No, everybody has his own motive of going to the church.”

The police officer urged church leaders to assess security risks around their premises and advise members on necessary precautions, especially when services ended late at night.

“If church has to be located on outskirts, I believe the runners of those institutions must equally think of the security of their members and must advise them adequately,” he said.

Muazu said churches holding evening services should pay particular attention to the security of routes leading to their premises and the entrances and exits.

“If you must hold evening services, that has to be guided with a lot of security observation of the routes in and out, exits of those churches in and out,” he added.

He expressed concern that some of the suspects allegedly involved in the plot were closely connected to the intended victim and the church’s leadership.

“Surprisingly, this happened to be her driver, who worked with her. And the second suspect is a bodyguard to the head church pastor. They are all members of the same church,” Muazu said.

The police warning followed concerns that information shared during religious gatherings could be exploited by people with criminal intentions, particularly when worshippers travel home after evening services.

Four individuals have been arrested by the Bauchi State Police Command over a clash between farmers and herders in Guda Village, Ningi Local Government Area of the state, which led to the death of one person and burning of several houses.

The deceased, identified as Usman Jibrin, 40, reportedly died while receiving treatment for injuries sustained during the clash.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.

According to the statement, the incident occurred on September 23, 2026, when three farmers from Guda Village went to their farms on Guda Hill and discovered that cattle belonging to a herder were grazing on and destroying their crops.

Habib said the farmers chased the cattle to the herders’ settlement, where an argument broke out and escalated into a fight, leaving the three farmers injured.

He added that some youths from Guda Village subsequently mobilised in retaliation and set houses in the herders’ settlement ablaze.

The statement read, “On September 23, 2026, at about 0740hrs, three farmers from Guda Village went to their farms on Guda Hill and found cattle belonging to a herder grazing on and destroying their crops.

“They chased the cattle to the herders’ settlement, where an argument ensued and degenerated into a fight. In the process, the three farmers sustained injuries.

“Sadly, in retaliation, some youths from Guda Village mobilised and set ablaze houses at the herders’ settlement.”

The police spokesman said operatives from the Ningi Division responded promptly to the incident, restored normalcy and evacuated the injured to the General Hospital, Ningi, for medical attention.

He, however, said one of the injured farmers later died while receiving treatment.

Habib disclosed that the police arrested four suspects on October 8, 2026, following intelligence-led operations.

He said the suspects were arrested in connection with criminal conspiracy, causing grievous hurt, mischief by fire and culpable homicide.

The statement added, “Through intelligence-led efforts, our operatives have, on October 8, 2026, arrested four suspects in connection with the offences of criminal conspiracy, causing grievous hurt, mischief by fire and culpable homicide.”

The police spokesman said the Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, had directed that the suspects be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Bauchi, for a thorough and discreet investigation.

According to Habib, the commissioner commiserated with the bereaved family and those who lost property in the incident.

He quoted the commissioner as assuring residents that “no one will be allowed to take the law into his own hands.”

Aliyu also assured the public that justice would be served and urged communities across the state to embrace dialogue and peaceful coexistence, particularly between farmers and herders, to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.