Activities across local government councils in Benue State have been brought to a standstill following the commencement of a two-week warning strike by workers under the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).
The industrial action, which began on Thursday, has paralysed operations across the state’s local government system as workers withdrew their services over unpaid salaries and unresolved welfare concerns.
The union said the strike became unavoidable after repeated efforts to engage the Benue State Government failed to produce meaningful results.
In a statement released after a State Executive Council meeting held in Makurdi, the union leadership accused the government of neglecting several longstanding demands affecting local government workers.
The statement was jointly signed by the Benue State NULGE President, Joshua Adah Adiniya, and Comrade Adeneshi Musa Yusuf on behalf of the state secretary.
According to the union, discussions with the state government had been ongoing since April 21, 2025, when workers formally demanded the immediate payment of outstanding salaries for March and April 2026, alongside the implementation of pending promotions for local government staff.
NULGE also demanded the resolution of issues affecting BEPCON remittances, the reinstatement of workers disengaged between 2011 and 2012, and the payment of accumulated salary arrears owed to employees across the local councils.
The union disclosed that it initially issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government to address the grievances but claimed there was no concrete response within the stipulated period.
Following the expiration of the ultimatum, the State Executive Council reconvened on May 7, 2026, and granted the government an additional seven working days to prevent industrial action.
However, NULGE alleged that the extension also expired without any visible commitment from the authorities to resolve the issues.
As a result, the union directed all local government employees in Benue State to embark on a total withdrawal of services for two weeks in what it described as a “stay-at-home” protest.
“Sequel to this directive, you are all enjoined to ensure the full implementation and enforcement of the SEC directive for a total lockdown of the third tier of Local Government in Benue State until further directive,” part of the statement read.
The strike has already disrupted administrative and public services across several local government councils, with many offices reportedly deserted as workers complied with the directive.
Residents in different parts of the state have also begun expressing concerns over the impact of the shutdown on essential local government operations and public services.
Meanwhile, attempts to get an official reaction from the Benue State Government were unsuccessful as of the time this report was filed.
