In response to allegations of non-payment and welfare fund withholding under the current leadership of the service, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has explained the status of promotions and wage arrears. This is in response to claims made by certain employees over the failure to pay promotion arrears from 2022 to 2024. Despite repeated promises that the payments had been made, they bemoaned the fact that they had not yet received arrears related to their promotions.
The NSCDC Spokesman, Afolabi Babawale, stated in a statement on Thursday that the Presidential Committee on Arrears, which is presided over by the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation and the Accountant-General of the Federation, is responsible for paying salary and promotion arrears, not Commandant General Abubakar Audi.
According to Babawale, when the present administration took office in 2021, it inherited five years' worth of outstanding salary arrears. From 2015 to 2019, they helped eliminate the arrears, benefiting over 37,000 employees.
In contrast to assertions that no payments had been made since 2022, he pointed out that payment records demonstrate that progress had been made in the settlement of arrears.
"Following an unconfirmed report published in some online media platforms dated 23 January, 2026, the NSCDC wishes to set the record straight that the allegation of non-payment of promotion arrears and withholding of funds meant for personnel welfare by the leadership of the Corps, under Abubakar Audi, is false, baseless, misleading, and malicious," the statement stated in part.
"The aforementioned publication is essentially a campaign of calumny, purposefully funded to mislead the public, create needless friction, and damage the integrity of the Corps' leadership. We would like to make it clear to the public that the Commandant General has no authority over the payment of wage arrears, promotion arrears, or other benefits.
The Director-General, the Federation's Budget Office, and the Federation's Accountant General head the Presidential Committee on Arrears, which is directly responsible for paying arrears rather than the NSCDC.
It should be mentioned that, despite the publication's deceptive suggestion that no arrears have been paid since 2022, payment records clearly demonstrate progress. This is untrue and inaccurate. Contrary to false allegations that he withheld funds intended for personnel welfare, the CG was able to clear the backlog from 2015 to 2019, benefiting over 37,000 personnel.
It is documented that the current leadership of the Corps inherited five years of unpaid salary arrears upon assumption of duty in 2021.
Babawale further stated that the competent authorities had not yet cleared the arrears for 2023 and 2024, pointing out that budgetary release and presidential permission are necessary for payout.
"The government cannot disburse funds without presidential approval and budgetary release, so the arrears for 2023–2024 have not yet been approved by the relevant authorities," he stated.
"It is crucial to remember that the results of the 2025 promotion exam were only made public in December 2025, and the process of incorporating them into the budget is still ongoing."
However, Babawale urged staff members across the country to maintain composure and patience, promising to keep communicating with the government over the allocation of monies for distribution.