Federal Govt abolishes mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave for civil servants
Federal Govt abolishes mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave for civil servants
The Federal Government has directed all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to stop the practice of placing civil servants on compulsory three-month leave ahead of retirement, clarifying that such a provision does not exist in the Public Service Rules.
The directive was contained in a circular titled “Correct Interpretation of Public Service Rule 120243 on Pre-Retirement Activities” issued by Didi Walson-Jack, according to Channels Television.
Addressed to ministers, permanent secretaries, service chiefs, heads of agencies and other senior government officials, the circular explained that the three-month period stipulated under the rules is merely a notice requirement and should not be interpreted as automatic leave.
Walson-Jack said several government institutions had wrongly treated the notice period as a mandatory pre-retirement absence, leading to officers being removed from active service before their official retirement dates.
She explained that Public Service Rule 120243 only requires officers nearing retirement to notify their employers three months before retirement, attend a one-month pre-retirement workshop or seminar, and use the remaining time to reconcile service records and complete pension-related documentation.
“The so-called mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave has no basis in the Public Service Rules,” the circular stated.
“A retiring officer must give three months’ notice before the effective date of retirement. This is a notice requirement, not a leave entitlement.”
The Head of Service stressed that retiring officers remain full members of the workforce during the notice period and are expected to continue carrying out their responsibilities except when attending approved retirement programmes or when absent under existing leave regulations.
“PSR 120243 does not exempt retiring officers from official duties during the notice period, except where they are attending an approved pre-retirement workshop or seminar, or are otherwise authorised to be absent under extant leave rules,” Walson-Jack was quoted as saying.
She consequently ordered all MDAs to discontinue the practice of directing officers to vacate their positions before their official retirement dates.
Under the revised interpretation, officers approaching retirement are expected to remain on duty while simultaneously participating in approved pre-retirement activities and completing documentation required for pension processing.
According to Walson-Jack, the clarification is intended to ensure uniform application of the Public Service Rules across government institutions and to prevent the premature loss of experienced personnel from the civil service.
The circular also instructed permanent secretaries, directors-general, executive secretaries, chairpersons of statutory bodies and chief executives of government agencies to ensure strict compliance with the directive.
Nigeria’s public service retirement system, guided by the Public Service Rules and the Pension Reform Act, mandates retirement after 35 years of service or upon attaining the age of 60 years, whichever comes first.
The government said the clarification would enhance service delivery by enabling experienced officers to continue contributing to the public service until their official retirement dates while completing the necessary administrative procedures for their retirement benefits.
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Five police officers remanded in Prison over alleged murder
Five police officers remanded in Prison over alleged murder
Five police officers accused of involvement in the alleged killing of 28-year-old Delta State musician and delivery worker, Oghenemine Million Ogidi, popularly known as OG Millan, have been arraigned before a High Court in Asaba and remanded in custody pending further proceedings.
The officers were brought before High Court 5 sitting in Asaba in a case that has drawn public attention and renewed calls for accountability. Proceedings were held before Justice Marshal Onome Umukoro under Suit No. THC/ASB/CR/M/66C/2026.
The defendants include ASP Usman Nuhu (42), ASP Onoloko Dauroupamo (47), ASP Okoh Kelechi (46), Inspector Goodluck Kingsley (42), and Inspector Omonigho Ahweyevu (41).
The court ordered that the accused officers be remanded at the Ogwashi-Uku Correctional Centre pending further legal steps in the matter. Journalists were also reportedly barred from covering the proceedings.
The case was adjourned to June 15, 2026, for arraignment, following a request for legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
OG Millan was reportedly killed on April 26, 2026, after he was allegedly intercepted in Effurun, Delta State, while delivering a package said to contain a firearm and ammunition.
Following the court proceedings, the deceased’s elder brother, Victory Ogidi, expressed concern over what he described as poor communication between authorities and the family regarding the progress of the case.
He said the family had been left to depend on social media reports and unofficial sources for updates on both the investigation and court proceedings.
“We lost our brother, and we should not be relying on social media to know what is happening in a case that concerns us directly,” he said.
Victory called on the Delta State Attorney-General, the Ministry of Justice, and the Nigeria Police Force to ensure transparency and provide regular updates to the family, stressing that their demand was for information, not preferential treatment.
Human rights activist Harrison Gwamnishu described the arraignment as a step forward in the pursuit of justice and accountability in the case.
He said the court ordered that the suspects remain in custody while the DPP reviews the file and provides legal advice.
“Today, they finally produced the officers in court, including the principal suspect and others. The judge ordered that they remain in custody while the DPP reviews the case,” Gwamnishu stated.
He expressed hope that the legal process would be accelerated to ensure a full and transparent trial.
However, the activist raised concerns over allegations from the family that they had not been properly briefed on key developments in the investigation, including access to the autopsy report.
He also noted claims that there were attempts to restrict media coverage of the proceedings, including limitations placed on journalists seeking to observe the court session.
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30 days after opposition summit in Ibadan, plan to choose single presidential candidate collapses
30 days after opposition summit in Ibadan, plan to choose single presidential candidate collapses
Opposition political parties converged in Ibadan on April 25, and unveiled what was widely described as their most ambitious political strategy ahead of the 2027 general election: a commitment to rally behind a single presidential candidate to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The meeting, which drew major political actors across party lines, was intended to reshape Nigeria’s electoral dynamics and prevent the fragmentation of opposition votes that has historically weakened their chances at the polls.
At the time, the coalition argued that failing to present a united front would only reinforce the dominance of the ruling party, and they pledged to avoid internal divisions that had previously cost them electoral victories.
However, barely five weeks after the Ibadan accord, the unity project has effectively collapsed.
Instead of consolidating around one candidate, the opposition has fractured into multiple camps, each backing its own presidential flagbearer ahead of the 2027 contest.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) reportedly settled for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, while the Allied Peoples Movement (AMP) nominated Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
The Labour Party is said to have selected governance and policy expert Chibuzo Okereke, while the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) reportedly backed former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi. Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Kabiru Turaki, is said to have chosen former President Goodluck Jonathan.
What was initially presented as a broad opposition coalition aimed at resisting what leaders described as “machinations by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to foist a one-party state on Nigeria” has now devolved into competing political interests marked by mistrust and rivalry.
Political analysts say the breakdown of the single-candidate arrangement reflects deeper structural weaknesses within the opposition, particularly the inability of key stakeholders to prioritise collective strategy over personal ambition.
The Ibadan agreement was largely informed by the lessons of the 2023 presidential election, where a divided opposition vote between Atiku, Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso enabled Tinubu to secure victory with a plurality of votes.
Opposition strategists had argued that a unified front would be the most viable path to challenging the APC in 2027, forming the basis of the now-fractured agreement.
However, entrenched political interests soon resurfaced, undermining efforts at consensus-building.
Atiku is believed to remain confident in his national political reach and experience, while Obi continues to enjoy strong support among young voters who see him as a key opposition figure.
These competing ambitions ultimately made consensus difficult to achieve.
For months, opposition leaders had warned of an alleged APC strategy aimed at turning Nigeria into a one-party state. Ironically, analysts now argue that the most significant threat to opposition unity has emerged from within the coalition itself.
With multiple candidates now in the field, the ruling APC is expected to face a divided opposition rather than a single coordinated challenger in the 2027 presidential election.
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Only Atiku, his family members and a few loyalists remain in ADC
Only Atiku, his family members and a few loyalists remain in ADC
Political commentator Imran Wakili has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of contributing to the growing turmoil within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), claiming that key political figures who initially supported the party’s coalition movement in Adamawa State have now abandoned the platform.
In a post shared on X on Tuesday, Wakili argued that none of the major political actors who helped establish the coalition structure in Adamawa remained aligned with Atiku within the ADC, insisting that the former presidential candidate could not be separated from the unfolding crisis.
According to him, several influential politicians who were part of the coalition have either joined other parties or are considering alternative political options.
Wakili claimed that former governorship candidate Aishatu Binani had moved to the NDC, while former Adamawa State Governor Jibrilla Bindow was weighing his next political step.
He further alleged that former senator Ishaku Abbo had joined the Labour Party, while Abdulaziz Nyako had returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Expressing concern over the developments, Wakili wrote: “Amongst the political heavyweights that started the coalition in Adamawa, not even one is with Atiku and ADC today, No matter how you look at it, you can’t excuse Atiku from this mess.
“Binani left for NDC. Bindow is consulting and deciding on his next political step.
“Abbo left for the Labour Party.
Abdulaziz Nyako left for the APC.
“Atiku is left with his son Adamu, Baba 10, and the likes. Baba really fumbled Adamawa, We warned them, but they said we don’t like Atiku.
“Nah, I don’t dislike him, I am just a realist.”
The remarks come amid growing tensions within the ADC following the resignation of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, from the party.
Lawal announced his exit from the ADC on Monday, alleging that the party’s recently concluded primaries were manipulated in favour of Atiku and his supporters, further deepening concerns over divisions within the opposition platform.
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