NSCDC Clarifies Alleged Non-Payment of Promotion Arrears
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has dismissed reports alleging the non-payment of promotion arrears to its personnel, describing the claims as misleading and aimed at tarnishing the image of the Corps’ leadership.
In a statement issued on Thursday, January 29, 2026, the NSCDC’s National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commandant of Corps (ACC) Afolabi Babawale, clarified that the Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, does not have direct control over the payment of salaries or promotion arrears. According to Babawale, payments relating to salary and promotion arrears fall under the responsibility of the Presidential Committee on Arrears, which is chaired by the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation and works in collaboration with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation. He explained that when the current leadership assumed office in 2021, it inherited five years of outstanding salary and promotion arrears. Babawale noted that arrears covering the 2015 to 2019 period have since been cleared, benefiting more than 37,000 NSCDC personnel nationwide. On concerns regarding unpaid arrears from 2020 to 2022, the spokesperson said the Corps has already submitted all required documentation to the Presidential Committee and secured necessary approvals. He added that the final stage of payment is pending release through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). Babawale further disclosed that arrears for 2023 and 2024 are still awaiting presidential approval and budgetary allocation, while the results of the 2025 promotion examinations, released in December 2025, are undergoing budgetary processing before any financial implementation can occur. The clarification follows complaints from some officers who claimed they were promoted without receiving the corresponding arrears, raising concerns about welfare and morale within the service. The NSCDC urged its personnel, the media, and the public to rely on verified information from official sources, warning against the spread of misinformation that could undermine internal stability and public trust. The Corps reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the improvement of staff welfare, stressing that delays in arrears payments are largely tied to broader federal budgetary and approval processes rather than internal administrative failures.
