The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has addressed growing concerns over promotion-related salary arrears, insisting that claims of withheld welfare funds and deliberate non-payment under its current leadership misrepresent the actual administrative and financial processes involved.
The clarification followed complaints by some personnel who alleged that promotion arrears covering several years remained unpaid, despite repeated assurances, fuelling discontent and speculation about internal handling of welfare-related funds within the service.
Affected officers maintained that financial benefits linked to their promotions had not reflected in their salaries, prompting public allegations that the Corps’ leadership had failed to prioritise staff welfare obligations and transparency in financial matters.
In a statement issued on Thursday, NSCDC spokesperson Afolabi Babawale said the Commandant General, Abubakar Audi, does not determine the payment of salary or promotion arrears, explaining that such disbursements fall under the Presidential Committee on Arrears.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to inform the public that the Commandant General does not control the payment of salary arrears, promotion arrears, or other emoluments,” Babawale said.
The spokesperson stated that the committee is chaired by the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation alongside the Accountant General of the Federation, stressing that the Corps itself lacks the authority to approve or release funds for arrears payments.
He added that the current leadership inherited five years of outstanding salary arrears upon assuming office in 2021 and facilitated the settlement of arrears spanning 2015 to 2019, with payment records indicating that over 37,000 personnel benefitted during that period.
According to the statement, allegations suggesting no arrears had been paid since 2022 were described as inaccurate, noting that approval for arrears covering 2023 and 2024 remained pending and subject to presidential authorisation and budgetary release.
“For the 2023–2024 arrears, the arrears are yet to be approved by the relevant authorities, as the government cannot disburse funds without presidential approval and budgetary release,” he said.
Babawale further disclosed that results of the 2025 promotion examinations were released in December 2025, with processing ongoing to incorporate the outcomes into the appropriate budget cycle for eventual disbursement.
