By Uthman-Baba Naseer,Minna

Concerned Officers and Men of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NcoS), and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC),have raised serious concerns about the delay in the payment of their three years accumulated promotion arrears.

Similarly,the Concern Officers decried that the highest echelons of the Services were paid their accumulated three years Promotional arrears without putting the junior officers into consideration.

It was reliably gathered that since the announcement of their promotion after the Successful performance of the Promotional examination conducted by the Civil Defence Correctional Fire and Immigration Board,(CDCFIB) their hope of receiving their Promotional allowances has been eroded without any reasons.

The Officers also are worried that they used their earnings to buy their official kits without any refunds by the headquarters.

Investigations conducted by our reporter in Minna, revealed that the officers pay the sum of two hundred thousand Naira to sponsor themselves for courses across the Correctional training Schools in Enugu, Kaduna, Kebbi and Illa Oragun in Osun state.

According to our findings, some of the officers of the Correctional Service after the payment of the two hundred thousand Naira the officers would not be refunded even as they Promised to refund them after the completion of their training courses.

Among the other agencies under the Federal Ministry of Interiors, it was gathered that Nigerian Correctional Service (NcoS) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) were yet to receive the three years Promotional arrears.

It was gathered that only Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) have been paid leaving the other agencies behind.

” We don’t just know what is delaying our three year promotional arrears. Other sister agencies like the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and Federal Fire Service (FFS) have received their own three year Promotional arrears why our own is been delay we don’t know” a source who pleaded anonymity told our reporter in Minna

However,the Public Relation Officer (PRO) Niger State Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service Mallam Rabiu Shaibu ACCS,who neither confirmed nor denied the report, stated that the issue is beyond him but directed our reporter to the headquarters of the service for further enquiry.

Also the Public Relation Officer (PRO) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Niger State Command Rabiu Mohammed Muti DSC said the issue is general issues.

” The issue of the three year Promotional allowances is being paid batch by batch. I cannot speak for other sister agencies under the Federal Ministry of Interiors” In our case, I don’t think we are being indebted for three years.

” I’m aware that some part of the Promotional allowances have been paid I cannot say is up to three years. I’m aware some payment were made but not three years.” he told our correspondent.

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By Uthman-Baba Naseer,Minna

The United Nations Children’s Fund has on Friday,confirmed that Niger state has so far recorded 150 positive cholera cases.

This is as UNICEF disclosed that in total, 16 deaths have been recorded since the cholera outbreak.

Making this disclosure when she led a team to pay an advocacy visit on the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Farouq Bahago, the Chief of Kaduna Field Office, UNICEF, Dr. Gerida Birukila said that, 451 persons were isolated and those confirmed positive treated and discharged are 150.

The Chief who was represented by Health Specialist Dr. Ahmed Tsofo also solicited for the Emir’s support to curtail various diseases ravaging the state.

According to the Chief, “we have recorded more than 451 cases of cholera infections out of it, over 150 were confirmed positive through rapid diagnostic testing.

“So far, we have now recorded 16 deaths and we brought it to the Emir’s information. We have also updated him on the support we are providing and the collaboration between UNICEF and government to contain the outbreak and to prevent further spread”.

Among other issues highlighted during the visit included polio and measles diseases as well as the low rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the state.

“We came to advocate for his support in person and the support of the traditional institution over the ongoing health and Public health interventions that we have been supporting in Niger.

“As you must have heard from the discussions we had with the Emir we advocated for his support in the next coming in-between rounds activity for polio eradication campaign; we advocated also for the ongoing cholera outbreak in the state.

“We advocated for his support also toward the introduction of the measles and rubella vaccines which is coming up in October this year”.

The UNICEF Health specialist noted that these diseases could be eradicated with the collaboration of government and the traditional institutions.

In his response, Emir of Minna, Alhaji Farouq Bahago assured the UNICEF of the Emirate’s support and prayed that Allah would enable them achieve the aim of eradicating the diseases in tue state.

Accordingly, he said “we will continue to talk and work in the interest of our people. We will support your efforts and complement your activities in all the four areas of intervention”.

By Our Correspondent

In an effort to digitalize and harmonize student data management across the education sector, the Government of Enugu State, through the Ministry of Education and the Center for Experiential Learning and Innovation (CELI), has issued a mandatory directive to all schools within the state—Public, Mission-Run, and Private institutions—to complete registration and student onboarding on the official Enugu State School Portal no later than August 31st, 2025.

The directive, signed and affirmed by Prof. Ndubueze L. Mbah, Honourable Commissioner for Education, is part of the state’s wider education reform aimed at digitizing school operations, improving accountability, and ensuring accurate statewide student tracking using a Unified State Student Registration Number (USSSN).

Key benefit for Registered School include: Assignment of Unified State Student Registration Numbers (USSSNs), Upload of Continuous Assessment records for unified promotions, Seamless admission and transfer processing, Access to state-approved examination registration, including the 2025 Unified Exams.

Schools that fail to comply risk exclusion from critical state examinations and services.

This directive is addressed to all levels of education management in the state, including: Chairmen of STVSMB, PPSMB, ENSUBEB Secretaries of Catholic, Anglican, and Methodist Education Commissions and Leaders of all Private School Proprietors Associations.

Commissioner Prof. Mbah reaffirmed that this policy is a pivotal move toward establishing data-driven education planning, equitable resource allocation, and statewide digital learning readiness in line with global standards.

*“This is more than compliance—it is a leap into the future of education management in Enugu State,” he said, citing the state’s recent recognition under the Spencer Foundation Vision Grant as a sign of commitment to transformative educational leadership.*