The Taraba State payroll controversy has taken a dramatic turn as a political advocacy group, Taraba Youth Frontier, accused Commissioner of Finance, Sarah Enock Adi, of orchestrating the woes of thousands of civil servants. The group is demanding her immediate removal from office, alleging gross mismanagement of the state’s financial system.
The uproar stems from a contentious biometric verification exercise under the Finance Ministry, which reportedly led to the removal of over 7,000 workers from the government payroll. The fallout has triggered outrage across the state, with many workers denied July salaries, some receiving partial payments, and others allegedly struck off without explanation.
The crisis has escalated into an open confrontation between the Taraba Government and organised labour. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have declared an indefinite strike starting Tuesday, August 12, 2025, vowing to down tools until all affected workers are reinstated and owed salaries fully paid.
Speaking in Jalingo on Thursday, Taraba Youth Frontier Chairman, Usman Magaji, described the payroll purge as a “flawed and inhumane process” that punished loyal public servants and plunged thousands of families into hardship during the recent Eid-El-Kabir celebrations.
“Taraba workers are being punished for the failure and incompetence of the Commissioner of Finance. We demand an independent audit of the biometric exercise, the full reinstatement of all affected workers, and accountability on how public funds and loans have been managed,” Magaji said.
Although the state government has acknowledged delays in salary payments and set up a committee to investigate, both the labour unions and the youth group insist the damage is already done, citing low morale and widespread distrust within the civil service.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Biometric Committee, Haruna Abubakar Abdulkadir, claimed the matter had been resolved after a meeting involving the Head of Service, Dr. Ahmed Kara, Accountant General, Gaius Dajuma, NLC leadership, and security agencies. The Accountant General also dismissed reports of a rift with the unions.
However, Apex News observed that even as the meeting was ongoing on Friday, August 8, dozens of affected civil servants stormed the Ministry of Finance in protest. They were met with heavy security, including soldiers, who blocked them from entering the premises — a sign that, despite official assurances, the payroll war in Taraba is far from over.
