Teachers and Local Government workers who retired in 2012 in Edo State are set to receive their gratuity 14 years after retirement.

The development follows the release of N1 billion by Governor Monday Okpebholo for payment of gratuities to the affected retirees.

Chairman of the Local Government Staff Pension Bureau, Kabiru Adjoto, said the payment represents the first tranche of gratuity for retired teachers and local government workers.

Speaking at a press briefing in Benin City, Adjoto commended Governor Okpebholo for his commitment to the welfare of workers and retirees.

The former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly said the governor has demonstrated strong political will in addressing long-standing challenges affecting pensioners and retirees in the state.

He also thanked retirees for their patience, understanding, and continued faith in government despite the delays over the years.

He said, “It is pertinent to note that the payment of gratuities being addressed will capture retirees from 2012 and other outstanding sets.

“This responsibility comes with a significant financial burden on government due to the increasing number of retirees and the consequential financial strain arising from successive minimum wage increases.

“Despite these challenges, the present administration has remained resolute in its determination to ensure that those who served the state meritoriously are not forgotten and that their legitimate entitlements are progressively settled.

“Let me therefore assure our retirees and the general public that with the renewed commitment of the present administration under the SHINE Agenda, the process of gratuity payment will henceforth be more regular and systematic than what was previously obtainable. Administrative work is currently ongoing, and deserving beneficiaries will be invited to collect their cheques in the coming days.”

Chairman of Local Government Retirees, Comrade Mike Olekiale, urged the governor to continue payments to ease the plight of pensioners.

Spokesperson for the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Pastor Claudiette Ehanire, said local government retirees need a dedicated bureau to oversee their welfare.

“We are happy but not completely satisfied because we have been neglected for too long. The governor has put smiles on our faces, but we want a bureau in charge of local government pensioners.

“We want the governor to appoint somebody to oversee it,” she said.

Passengers sustained injuries on Monday morning after a train operating on the Abuja-Kaduna rail corridor was involved in an incident that forced the service to halt midway through the journey.

The passenger train travelling from Kaduna to Abuja failed to reach its destination as scheduled after the disruption occurred along the busy rail line linking the Federal Capital Territory with Kaduna State.

A source within the NRC confirmed the development on condition of anonymity, as it is not within his purview to speak on such matters.

Passengers on board said the incident happened suddenly, sending shock and panic through the coaches as the train came to an abrupt halt.

Some passengers reported hearing a loud bang before the train jolted violently, throwing several occupants off their seats and causing confusion inside the coaches.

According to the eyewitness accounts, the Abuja-bound train reportedly collided with another train along the corridor, forcing rail operations to stop temporarily while the situation was assessed.

The PUNCH gathered that a number of passengers were injured, with some reportedly sustaining cuts and bruises after being flung against seats and metal fittings inside the train compartments.

A social media user, Sada Malumfashi, who claimed to be one of the passengers, described the frightening moment shortly after disembarking from the train, explaining that the sudden jolt caught many people unprepared.

The passenger who posted on his X account stressed that the train remained stationary for about 30 minutes before the journey resumed slowly towards Kubwa, an area on the outskirts of Abuja.

He said, “Just dropped from the Kaduna-Abuja train. We heard a loud bang, and the train jolted to a stop, flinging people across. Passengers got hit, and most are bleeding and severely injured. The train was delayed for some 30 minutes and resumed to Kubwa. No communication from @info_NRC on anything.”

When contacted, the NRC spokesperson, Callistus Unyimadu, also confirmed the development, promising that a statement would be released to that effect.

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The Federal Government has addressed criticisms surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s upcoming state visit to the United Kingdom, describing some of the commentary as either misinformed or deliberately mischievous.

According to Channels TV on Sunday, the Minister of Information and Orientation, Mohammed Idris, speaking to international media in the UK, said the visit reflects the longstanding partnership between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

“We know that Nigeria has had its own fair share of criticism about some of those policies that were instituted back home, some of them arising from a lack of adequate knowledge and some out of sheer mischief,” Idris said.

He added that the visit is strategically important, highlighting the “historic and strategic relationship Nigeria and the United Kingdom… a relationship that is built on deep diplomatic, economic, cultural, and democratic ties.”

According to the minister, “For decades, our two countries have maintained a partnership that spans trade, education, security cooperation, cultural exchange, and shared democratic values.

“President Tinubu’s visit provides an important opportunity to strengthen collaboration across critical areas, including trade and investment, security cooperation, climate action, education, and technological innovation.

“It also reflects Nigeria’s growing importance as a key democratic and economic partner in Africa, and a responsible participant in global affairs.”

Idris explained that the engagement with the media was intended to provide clarity on Nigeria’s policies over the past three years.

“So, as communicators, we thought that it is important, regardless of whatever position anyone may have taken, to go through some of these programmes and policies…and then interact with you.

“Where you have questions, we take them; where you seek clarifications, we provide. Where we need to take some advice from you, we’ll also take and get back home,” he said.

President Tinubu is expected to arrive in the UK on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, for the state visit, which formally begins on Thursday, March 19. He and his wife, Oluremi Tinubu, will be hosted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle, marking the first time a Nigerian leader will receive such a state honour at Windsor rather than Buckingham Palace.

Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said the visit will “showcase the enduring relationship between Nigeria and the UK and further deepen cooperation between both countries.”

Tinubu will become the fifth Nigerian leader to be honoured with a UK state visit, following Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Yakubu Gowon, Shehu Shagari, and Ibrahim Babangida.