The Federal Government has withdrawn the final tranche of the Paris Club refund paid to the Benue State Government last week.
The development was confirmed by protesting workers and officials of the Benue State Government.
Hundreds of workers took to the street of Makurdi, the state capital, on Tuesday to protest the development.
This comes after Thursday’s confirmation by the State Governor, Samuel Ortom, that the fund had been released, directing officials involved to commence the payment of workers’ outstanding salaries.
Civil servants working for the state government are owed seven months salary, while local government workers are owed 11 months.
The Benue State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Godwin Anya, expressed shock over the development.
Anya said: “I don’t know the reason for the recall of the Paris Club loan refund.
“Everybody has been expecting to be paid because the governor on Monday directed the payment of salary arrears.
“I don’t know the reason for that nonsense.
“I don’t know where this country is heading to.”
The development was also confirmed by Ortom’s Special Adviser on Media and ICT, Tahav Agerzua.
Agerzua said it was a “trajectory of victimisation.”
He said it was strange in accounting parlance to pay money into somebody’s or government’s account and suddenly withdraw it, describing it as another form of impunity by the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government.
He said: “This is not a gift.
“It is a legitimate right of the government.
“This is part of a series of moves aimed at subjugating the people.
“This action has shown clearly that the APC cannot protect the people.”
Agerzua said the issue had been politicised, stressing that it was an act of desperation as a result of the party’s failure in the Osun State governorship election.
He said: “There is serious anger in the land as a result of recalling of the Paris Club refund by the Federal Government.
“The people now know who their enemies and oppressors are.
“Benue people should rise up and vote out the APC government.”