The Delta State House of Assembly has passed an executive bill seeking to institutionalise the payment of a 13th-month salary to public servants in the state.

The bill, which was passed during Tuesday’s plenary, is expected to provide statutory backing for the annual payment of the additional salary and give public servants greater certainty over the welfare package.

The Assembly described the development as a major milestone in workers’ welfare, noting that the legislation would strengthen the state government’s commitment to improving the wellbeing of its workforce.

The passage followed the third reading of the bill during plenary presided over by the Speaker, Hon. Emomotimi Dennis Guwor.

Before consideration of the bill, the House suspended the relevant standing orders to enable its immediate passage.

The motion for the suspension was moved by the Leader of the House, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi, and was subsequently adopted by members.

Speaking shortly after the passage, Guwor commended lawmakers for what he described as a bold step towards strengthening workers’ welfare in Delta State.

He said the Assembly had once again demonstrated that the primary purpose of government was the security and welfare of the people.

According to him, the legislation reflected the state government’s commitment to the wellbeing of public servants and further reinforced the administration’s worker-friendly policies.

“The passage of the bill further affirmed the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori as a welfare-oriented and worker-friendly government.

“The payment of the 13th-month salary to public servants in Delta State has come to stay,” the Speaker said.

Guwor expressed confidence that the policy would improve workers’ morale, increase productivity and contribute to better service delivery across the state.

He also commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for initiating the welfare policy, describing it as a significant gesture in recognition of the contributions of public servants to the development of Delta State.

Earlier, while presenting the report of the House Committee on Establishment, Ethics and Privileges, the committee chairman, Hon.

Edafe Emakpo, explained that the proposed law was designed to establish a legal framework for the policy.

He said institutionalising the payment would provide public servants with greater assurance and certainty while contributing to improved morale, productivity and overall wellbeing.

The legislation is therefore expected to give stronger institutional backing to the annual payment of the additional salary, enhance the welfare package available to workers and encourage greater commitment to public service delivery.

The development comes as state governments across Nigeria continue to introduce measures aimed at improving the welfare and productivity of public servants amid rising economic pressures.

With the passage of the bill, the 13th-month salary policy in Delta State is set to move from an executive welfare initiative to a legally backed policy, subject to the remaining legislative and constitutional requirements before it becomes operational as law.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three men to life imprisonment for their involvement in the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, rejecting pleas for leniency from the defence.

The convicts, Abdulrazak Umar (also known as Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa (also known as Yunusa bin Musa) and Shamsu Adamu Sani (also known as Abu Itisar) — had pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges brought against them by the Federal Government.

During the sentencing hearing, defence counsel urged the court to temper justice with mercy, arguing that the defendants had admitted their crimes, expressed remorse and deserved a second chance.

The lawyer also told the court that the convicts were responsible for the welfare of their wives, children and elderly parents, asking the judge to impose a lighter sentence.

Justice Salim Ibrahim dismissed the request for leniency, ruling that the seriousness of the offences warranted a life sentence.

The judge ordered that the life imprisonment terms would take effect from the exact date of the convicts’ arrest, ensuring that the time already spent in custody would count toward the sentence.

The three men were prosecuted in connection with the May 2026 attack on schools in Oriire LGA, where dozens of pupils and teachers were abducted by suspected terrorists linked to the Ansaru group before they were rescued in a joint security operation weeks later.

The ruling is one of the first major convictions arising from the high-profile Oriire school abduction, an incident that sparked nationwide concern over the spread of terrorist activities into Nigeria’s South-West.

The judgment underscores the Federal Government’s efforts to prosecute individuals linked to terrorism and mass kidnappings through the judicial process.

The conviction sends a strong signal that terrorism and school abductions will continue to attract severe legal consequences.

It also highlights the role of the courts in complementing security operations aimed at tackling kidnapping and terrorism across Nigeria.

The Federal High Court is expected to deliver its ruling on Friday on an application by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) seeking approval to destroy a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory valued at approximately ₦480 billion in Ogun State.

The agency is asking the court to authorise the destruction of the illicit drug production facility, describing it as one of the largest methamphetamine laboratories uncovered in Nigeria.

The application follows the discovery and dismantling of the suspected meth lab during an anti-narcotics operation in Ogun State.

According to the NDLEA, the facility was allegedly used for the large-scale production of methamphetamine, a highly addictive synthetic drug linked to organised crime and substance abuse.

The agency told the court that preserving the laboratory poses security and environmental risks, hence its request for judicial approval to destroy the facility.

The case forms part of the NDLEA’s intensified crackdown on drug trafficking syndicates and illegal drug manufacturing across the country.

In recent months, the agency has announced several major seizures of narcotics, arrests of suspected traffickers and the dismantling of clandestine laboratories as it seeks to curb the production and distribution of illicit drugs.

Officials say the operations are aimed at disrupting criminal networks while reducing the availability of dangerous substances within Nigeria and beyond.

The Federal High Court is expected to determine whether the agency has met the legal requirements for the destruction of the facility and related exhibits.

The ruling could set the stage for the safe disposal of the laboratory under the supervision of relevant authorities if the application is granted.

Methamphetamine production remains a major security and public health concern due to its links to organised crime, addiction and transnational drug trafficking.

The court’s decision could mark another milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to dismantle illegal drug manufacturing operations and strengthen the fight against narcotics.