The Sokoto State Government, led by Governor Ahmed Aliyu, has announced the implementation of the revised N70,000 national minimum wage for all state civil servants, local government employees, and the Local Government Education Authority.

This new policy will take effect on Monday, signaling a significant step towards improving workers’ welfare in the state.

Governor Aliyu, in a statement issued by his Press Secretary, Abubakar Bawa, emphasized that the new minimum wage reflects his administration’s commitment to ensuring the well-being of Sokoto’s workforce.

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He also encouraged civil servants to match the gesture with greater dedication, professionalism, and hard work.

“With the commencement of the payment of this new national minimum wage, we expect renewed commitment, hard work, punctuality, and, above all, seriousness from our civil servants,” the governor remarked.

Aliyu also reassured workers that his administration is committed to maintaining timely salary payments, with salaries to be paid between the 19th and 22nd of each month.

This consistent schedule is designed to further solidify Sokoto State’s reputation as a worker-friendly administration.

In addition to the new wage policy, the governor has placed a high priority on clearing the backlog of unpaid gratuities owed to retired workers.

A total of N500 million will be allocated monthly to offset these outstanding payments, with an additional N300 million designated for retirees who left service in 2023 and beyond.

Governor Aliyu assured the public that by the end of his tenure, no civil servant would be left owing gratuities.

“This strategic approach ensures that by the end of my administration, no civil servant will be owed gratuities,” Aliyu stated, highlighting the stark contrast with previous administrations where salary delays often stretched beyond 50 days, leaving workers facing financial uncertainty.

Muhuyi Rimingado, the Chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC), has accused a suspect under his agency’s investigation of orchestrating his recent arrest.

Rimingado, who was detained last week, described the incident as a direct consequence of his work in tackling corruption, asserting that “corruption is fighting back.”

Appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme on Monday, Rimingado explained that the arrest was part of a larger attempt to undermine his efforts.

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“When you fight corruption, corruption will fight back. Anti-corruption fight (is) fair but corruption fight is dirty,” he said.

Rimingado revealed that three federal agencies had been mobilized against him, alleging that “there are lots of activities going around targeted against my person.”

He connected the arrest to an investigation into a massive fraud case involving the former Managing Director of the Kano Agricultural Supply Company Limited (KASCO).

According to Rimingado, his commission uncovered that N4 billion of Kano State Government funds had been siphoned through various entities.

As part of the investigation, his commission seized assets linked to the crime in accordance with legal procedures. After charging the accused to court, Rimingado said the suspect sought to unlawfully seize the evidence.

“He came up with a series of tactics to snatch away the exhibit of the crime, and that is not allowed in law,” he explained.

To prevent tampering, Rimingado’s commission moved the seized property to a safer location.

He believes that this action prompted the police to arrest him, stating, “When they cannot wait for the court processes and they know they cannot succeed in that case, they now activate the police to arrest me.”

The police officers who detained him accused him of abuse of power, mischief, and trespass, charges Rimingado vehemently denied. “My commission is empowered by law to prosecute suspects of corrupt practices,” he stated.

As of now, the police have not issued any comment on the ongoing developments.

Following the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, legal icon and elder statesman, Afe Babalola has expressed readiness to withdraw his criminal defamation suit against rights activist, Dele Farotimi.

Recall that Babalola had sued Farotimi in an Ado Ekiti Magistrates’ Court following Farotimi’s publication of a book which allegedly defamed him.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Babalola’s decision to withdraw his suit followed the visit to him by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Sunday night.

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It was gathered that the visit by the royal father to the elder statesman’s residence at Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) was to persuade him to withdraw the suit.

The Ooni, who arrived at ABUAD at about 10.30 pm, was accompanied by other top Yoruba traditional rulers.

Traditional rulers, who came in company with the Ooni, included the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti and Olojudo of Ido- Ekiti among others.

Consequently, Babalola said he had received several letters as well as calls on the issue from eminent Nigerians asking him to withdraw the suit.

Other national leaders who had visited Babalola in this regard included Nigeria’s former president, Olusegun Obasanjo and Bishop Hassan Kukah.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria said he had no choice than to succumb to the latest pleas by the visiting traditional rulers.

He stressed that he had nothing to gain in Farotimi being jailed.

Babalola assured the traditional rulers that he would direct his lawyers to withdraw the case.

Earlier, the Ooni had said Yoruba leaders and the traditional institution had been following the development keenly.

The traditional ruler said that he and others resolved to intervene so that Babalola,” can pardon his son, Farotimi.”

He commended the legal icon for building his integrity over the years and urged him not to relent following the development.

According to the NAN the meeting ended at about midnight.

Recall that Babalola recently dragged Farotimi before an Ekiti Magistrates’ court, claiming criminal defamation in the latter’s controversial book,” Nigeria and its Criminal Justice system.”

The court granted Farotimi N30 million bail.