A Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) must pay damages of N10 million to Pastor Oyinmiebi Biribena and his wife, Pastor Beatrice Biribena, for declaring them wanted without a valid court order. Pastor Biribena oversees the Christ Embassy Church in Kumasi, Ghana.

The court, presided over by Justice Dashen, made this declaration in response to a lawsuit (No. FHC/YNG/CS/132/2022) filed by the Biribenas seeking the protection of their fundamental human rights against EFCC’s actions.

Justice Dashen found EFCC’s declaration of the Biribenas as wanted on June 8, 2022, without a valid court order to be unjust, unlawful, and unconstitutional. He ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and against the anti-graft agency.

The court also declared EFCC’s newspaper publication on June 8, 2022, announcing the Biribenas as wanted without a valid court order to be a violation of their fundamental rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement, right to private and family life, and dignity of the human person, as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.

Justice Dashen ordered EFCC to publicly apologize to the Biribenas for the unlawful publication and restrained EFCC from inviting, harassing, arresting, and detaining them pending the resolution of another suit (No. FHC/YNG/CS/125/2022) involving Bliss Multinational Perfections Limited versus EFCC.

In another case (Bliss Multinational Perfections Limited and Oyinmiebi Biribena versus EFCC), Justice Dashen granted declarations in favor of the plaintiffs against EFCC. The court declared that disputes between members of Baraza Multipurpose Cooperative Society, arising from transactions related to the cooperative society’s registered business objects, should be reported to the registrar and director of the Bureau of Cooperative Societies in Bayelsa State before resorting to any security agency or court.

Furthermore, the court ruled that EFCC is not authorized to intervene in disputes arising from civil transactions related to the registered business objects of cooperative societies and cannot seize properties that are not proceeds of crime.

Consequently, Justice Dashen deemed EFCC’s seizure and sealing of properties belonging to Bliss Multinational Perfections Limited and Oyinmiebi Biribena as wrongful and unlawful.

The court also declared EFCC’s instructions to Biribena’s bankers to freeze his bank account due to disputes from civil transactions with Baraza Multipurpose Cooperative Society as wrongful and unlawful.

As a result of these rulings, Justice Dashen ordered EFCC to refrain from inviting, arresting, detaining, and harassing the plaintiffs over disputes arising from transactions with Baraza Multipurpose Cooperative Society.

However, instead of the N100 million requested by the plaintiffs, the court awarded the sum of N10 million as exemplary damages against EFCC.

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) clarified that the recent announcement by the federal government regarding a 25% to 35% increase in workers’ salaries does not pertain to the minimum wage. Mr. Tommy Okon, the president of the association and also the Vice President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), made this clarification while addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday.

Okon explained that the approval for the salary increase aims to address salary discrepancies within certain ministries, departments, and agencies, rather than being a revision of the minimum wage. He emphasized that various sectors have benefited from these increases, with the exception being the core Federal Civil Service. He stressed the importance of informing the public accurately, as some may have misunderstood the government’s actions as unilaterally increasing the minimum wage, which is not the case.

According to Okon, the ongoing process of adjusting the minimum wage remains separate from these recent salary adjustments. He highlighted the necessity of this clarification for workers and the general public, underlining that the salary increase was intended to bridge wage gaps within the civil service.

The Federal Government announced on Tuesday an increase ranging from 25% to 35% in the salaries of civil servants across six consolidated salary structures. These structures include the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS), and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).

Delta State workers expressed their discontent towards Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Wednesday for his failure to address the issue of minimum wage during a public event. Despite their anticipation for an announcement regarding the new minimum wage, the workers became frustrated when the governor concluded his speech without mentioning it. In response to the workers’ dissatisfaction, they interrupted the governor with chants demanding payment of the minimum wage, to which Oborevwori firmly stated that they couldn’t coerce him into compliance.

The May Day celebration in 2024, themed “People First,” turned into a lively event in Delta State, featuring a parade by various affiliated unions. However, the governor’s address in Asaba was disrupted by the workers’ noise, reflecting their disappointment over his silence on the minimum wage issue. According to a union leader, previous attempts to discuss the matter with the governor had been unsuccessful.

Governor Oborevwori announced plans to establish a committee to address workers’ demands for salary increases due to the prevailing economic hardship. He praised the workers for their support and emphasized his administration’s commitment to their welfare. He acknowledged the inadvertent omission of some workers from promotion arrears payments and promised to address the issue.

Comrade Goodluck Ofobruku, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), emphasized the importance of politicians keeping their promises, stressing that workers keep track of such commitments.