The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has clarified issues surrounding promotion and salary arrears following allegations of non-payment and the withholding of welfare funds under the current leadership of the service.
The clarification comes amid complaints by some personnel over the alleged non-payment of promotion arrears covering the period between 2022 and 2024, with affected officers claiming they were yet to receive entitlements linked to their promotions despite assurances that payments had been made.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the NSCDC spokesperson, Afolabi Babawale, said the Commandant General of the Corps, Abubakar Audi, does not have the authority to approve or disburse salary or promotion arrears. He explained that such payments fall under the jurisdiction of the Presidential Committee on Arrears, chaired by the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation and the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Babawale disclosed that the current leadership inherited five years of unpaid salary arrears upon assuming office in 2021, adding that significant progress has since been made in clearing the backlog.
According to him, arrears covering the period from 2015 to 2019 have been fully settled, with more than 37,000 personnel benefiting, contrary to claims that no payments had been made since 2022.
“Following an unconfirmed report published by some online media platforms on January 23, 2026, the NSCDC wishes to set the record straight that allegations of non-payment of promotion arrears and the withholding of welfare funds by the leadership of the Corps under Abubakar Audi are false, baseless, misleading and malicious,” the statement read in part.
The Corps described the report as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, create unnecessary tension and malign the integrity of its leadership, insisting that payment records clearly show progress in the settlement of arrears.
Babawale further explained that promotion and salary arrears for 2023 and 2024 are yet to be approved by the relevant authorities, noting that disbursement of such funds requires presidential approval and budgetary release.
He added that the results of the 2025 promotion examinations were only released in December 2025, and that processes to capture the outcomes in the national budget are currently ongoing.
While appealing for patience, the NSCDC spokesperson urged personnel across the country to remain calm, assuring them that the leadership is in continuous engagement with the federal government to ensure the release of funds for prompt disbursement once approvals are granted.
