• Govt denies reported death
• NDLEA raids Indian hemp smokers’ den, nabs 10

Kwara State Chapter of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has embarked on strike to protest salary arrears owed them by the state government.

According to the State Secretary of NULGE, Abayomi Afolabi, “all local government workers in all the sixteen local government in the state have embarked on a total strike.”

“The strike is related to the non payment of salary for several months, some are owed five months, and those owned least is two months.”

“We have joined our colleagues in other states who had embarked on the strike in a long time.”

Meanwhile, state government has described as false, speculative and unfounded a report published in some national dailies, (not The Guardian) that some of its workers died while waiting for payment of salaries’ arrears.

In another development, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) stormed the hideout of suspected Indian hemp smokers in Ilorin, the state capital at the weekend and apprehended about 10 of them in the process.

The incident occurred at a popular open space around Iloffa Road, GRA. The NDLEA men acted on a tip off stormed the hideout in about 12 vehicles. An eyewitness account revealed that the anti-narcotic operatives raided the hideout in a commando style with sporadic shooting renting the air.

A statement issued by Dr. Muideen Akorede, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, said that while the reported deaths of the workers is sad, “if any” there was no proof that the deaths were caused by the alleged delay in payment of salaries by certain tertiary institutions in the state.

According to the statement, “despite the drop in federal allocations to the state for almost a year, the government has consistently paid the salaries of its workers due to Ahmed’s financial ingenuity. The only exceptions were some of its revenue generating agencies, which are in the process of clearing salary arrears.

Abayomi, who further denied the rumour, which claimed that some members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) are trying to stage a protest to the Government House during the Sallah celebration, declared; “Most of us are not celebrating because there is money to celebrate. Our salaries have not been paid for two to five month.”

The state government also clarified claims that it had received a bail out from the federal government to pay salary arrears, stressing that it had only received its statutory share of NLNG dividends, which should have been paid to the state but was delayed.

The statement added that Governor Ahmed had earlier approved the payment of salaries and pensions to enable workers and pensioners celebrate the Eid Fitr festival “although payment was not due until the end of the month.”

The state government added that it was determined to work within available resources to ensure that state workers are paid promptly while ensuring the smooth running of government as whole.

The NDLEA raid heightened fear among residents and shop owners in the area as they ran for dear lives from stray bullets and to avoid being picked up as collaborators.

The NDLEA men had stormed the hideout in about 12 vehicles.

Close associates of the arrested suspects were seen making desperate calls to secure their release and warn others to stay away from the troubled spot. Calm had since returned to the area.

Spokesperson of the state NDLEA, Adewara Segun, said he could not confirm the number of suspects arrested because the agency “is still on prowl.”