Table of Contents
Aminu Adamu
Five thousand and fifty local government workers in Ningi and Warji, cleaners, teachers, nurses, and clerks, had money deducted from their October and November 2025 salaries without their consent. The stated purpose: to fund the coronation of the 17th Emir of Ningi.
Assuming every one of them earns no more than the N70,000 national minimum wage, the least the law permits any employer to pay, the five percent deduction spread across two months generated a minimum of N17.7 million: N11.375 million from Ningi’s 3,250 workers and N6.3 million from Warji’s 1,800. That is the most conservative figure possible.
For senior civil servants, teachers on consolidated salary scales, and medical officers whose deductions could reach N6,000 or more over the two months, the actual amount extracted is almost certainly higher. Neither local government has disclosed the true figure.
According to some workers, nobody believed it when they heard a rumour that they would contribute to the royal coronation of the 17th Emir of Ningi, His Royal Highness, Haruna Yunusa Danya.
On September 1, 2024, the Bauchi State Government appointed Alh. Haruna Yunusa Danyaya as the 17th Emir of Ningi, succeeding his father and predecessor, Alh. Yunusa Mohammed Danyaya, who passed away on August 24 of the same year.
A civil servant in Ningi, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimization, said the deductions were imposed to fund the coronation and the presentation of the office staff to the Emir without due consultation or the approval of most workers.
He told WikkiTimes that it was imposed on them “despite the difficult situation of workers. Our salaries don’t even pay our bills; we have to take out loans or do some other menial jobs to fulfill our family obligations.”
WikkiTimes learned that the deductions were split into 2.5% per month, for a total of 5% per civil servant, to fund the royal ceremony.
Other affected workers in Ningi and Warji confirmed that the deductions were forced on them without their approval, further depleting their already insufficient paychecks.
“No circular came, no meeting was held, and no consent was sought,” said a health worker in Ningi LGA who spoke to WikkiTimes on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. “We only saw it on our payslips after payment.”
Another worker described the deduction as a “forced contribution,” noting that staff who raised concerns were warned informally to “be careful” or risk victimization.
Accountants from Finance Departments in the two LGAs told WikkiTimes in confidence that the deductions were centrally applied and not optional for all workers across local government, primary healthcare, and local education authority (LEA) staff.
How the Deductions Happened
According to the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Ningi and Warji, their leadership provided willing support for a traditional stool that served as the custodian of their heritage.
In separate interviews with WikkiTimes, the union leaders noted that a committee was set up to raise funds for the traditional event that culminates the enthronement of the monarch, to which they were invited to a meeting at which they pledged to contribute financially.
In Ningi, the Secretary of the MHWUN, Sagir Adamu, confirmed that 5% of members’ salaries was deducted in two installments.
He said the decision followed a recommendation by the Coronation Finance Committee and that union leadership agreed during a meeting before informing its members.
He claimed that after briefing the members, they gave their approval.
However, WikkiTimes was unable to reach the NULGE Chairman in Ningi despite repeated attempts. The NUT in Ningi also declined to comment on the matter when contacted by WikkiTimes.
In Warji, union leaders presented the deductions as part of the emirate’s longstanding tradition.
Ali Muhammad, the NULGE Chairman in Warji, said that whenever important events occur in the emirate, subjects are encouraged to contribute, including mosques and community groups.
He disclosed that an initial proposal for a 10% deduction was reduced to 5% after deliberations, and that all unions gave written approval to the LGA chairman.
He added that, unlike in the past when workers were not even notified, and deductions were simply effected, this time unions were consulted.
Kabiru Shuaibu of the MHWUN Warji LGA branch also maintained that the deductions were voluntary. He said unions received notice requesting support and formally wrote to express approval.
According to him, the chairman insisted that no deduction would occur without written consent. He admitted, however, that he could not state how much was ultimately generated from the exercise.
Similarly, Yunusa Ibrahim of NUT Warji LGA chapter said their cooperation was sought and that they agreed to support the coronation with a 5% deduction spread across two months.
He acknowledged that some workers opposed the move and accused union leaders of betrayal, but insisted that the majority supported the contribution.
However, several workers interviewed offered different accounts of their unions’ involvement. Some alleged selective consultation with union executives, while others claimed unions were entirely forced.
A union official in Warji LGA, speaking anonymously, said leadership had been “informally approached” and had been instructed to implement the deductions.
“We were told it was a ‘government decision’ and that resistance would be interpreted as opposition to peace and tradition,” the official said.
Neither Ningi nor Warji LGAs have publicly disclosed the total amount deducted or the manner in which the funds were disbursed. With thousands of workers affected across the LGAs, estimates suggest the amount could run into tens of millions of naira.
A WikkiTimes calculation based on the N70,000 national minimum wage tells a different story.
In Ningi, where 3,250 workers across LGA, LEA, and PHC departments were affected, the two-month deduction amounts to a minimum of N11.375 million.
In Warji, where 1,800 workers spread across the same three departments lost a portion of their pay, the floor figure is N6.3 million. Combined, at least N17.7 million was extracted from 5,050 workers earning the lowest wage permitted by law.
For senior civil servants, whose deductions could reach N6,000 or more over the two months, the actual figure is almost certainly higher. Not a kobo of it was budgeted, approved by workers, or publicly disclosed.
Attempts to obtain payroll schedules, approval memos, or financial records were unsuccessful. Local government finance officials declined, citing “administrative procedures” and “lack of clearance” as reasons for non-disclosure.
Workers in Warji LGA decried the donation as particularly problematic, since Warji is no longer part of Ningi Emirate.
Recall that the State Government had created 13 emirates in October 2025, in which Warji was carved out of the old Ningi Emirate.
Warji LGA workers argue that, as a result, they have no traditional obligation to finance the activities of the new Ningi Emirate Council.
“We are no longer under the Ningi Emirate,” a Warji-based primary school teacher said. “So, on what basis are we paying for an emirate event that we do not belong to?”
Another staff member noted, “ I can’t understand this open cheat. These people are already controlling millions of naira, but because they are heartless and wicked, they don’t want us to even feed our families.
It is sad that our union leaders are all sellouts. They do the bidding of any leader in power, regardless of workers’ interests”.
According to a Warji LGA health worker, the justification for their involvement in Ningi Emirate activities was supposed to end with the emirate’s balkanisation.
“I think even if they claimed to ask subjects of the emirate for donations, we are no longer there. We have bid them farewell with the creation of our emirate.
Are Ningi workers also contributing to the coronation and the presentation of the office staff to the Emir of Warji? This arrangement is not fair. I pray God replenishes me for the unjust tax,” he said.
Chairmen Decline, Emirate Responds, and What the Law Says
Warji LGA Chairman, Hon. Aminu Barmini, did not respond to repeated calls and WhatsApp messages seeking comment on the deductions.
Similarly, Ningi LGA Chairman, Hon. Nasir Zakarai, failed to respond to calls and messages over two days.
Civil society activist Mukhtar Said said the silence reflects a broader pattern.
“Local governments operate with very little scrutiny, yet they control the livelihoods of thousands of workers,” he said. “This creates fertile ground for abuse.”
However, Ningi Emirate Council Secretary, Usman Sule, denied that the emirate had imposed or coerced any civil servants to donate.
He said union leadership made the donation on behalf of members in solidarity with what he described as a historic event that had not occurred in nearly 50 years.
According to him, the contribution was voluntary and rooted in tradition, reflecting the cordial relationship between the emirate and workers in the LGAs.
Labor lawyers told WikkiTimes that salary deductions must be voluntary, transparent, and supported by clear legal instruments.
“Even union dues require explicit authorization,” said a lawyer, Kabir Bashir. “Using salaries to fund coronations or political-ceremonial events, without consent, is a violation of workers’ rights and may amount to abuse of office.”
“There is no provision under Nigerian labor law or public finance regulations that allows compulsory salary deductions for ceremonial or traditional events.
“Doing so across LGAs with no direct traditional affiliation worsens the abuse,” said a public analyst, Abdallah Salihu.
Why Not Fund from LG Allocations?
Many workers said the deductions would have been made from the LGAs’ FAAC allocations rather than from their pay.
According to BudgIT, a tech-civic organization that promotes public finance accountability, Ningi LGA received N903,626,400.39 in October 2025 and N880,071,490.09 in November 2025, bringing the two-month total to N1,783,697,890.48 from FAAC.
Within the same period, Warji LGA received N537,141,062.07 in October and N520,927,341.73 in November, amounting to N1,058,068,403.80.
Combined, both LGAs received over N2.84 billion in just two months.
Neither Ningi nor Warji LGA has publicly disclosed the total amount deducted from workers, whether FAAC funds were also allocated for the coronation, or a breakdown of how the funds will be utilised.
A worker said the financial burden on workers who are struggling with inflation and a harsh economy is unfair and exploitative.
“This is not about culture or tradition,” he said. “It is about consent, dignity, and the right to our wages. It’s not fair. It is simply exploitation of the poor for the powerful.”
This report was produced with support from Civic Media Lab
