Staff of the Federal Task Force (FTF) have cried out over unpaid salaries and allowances dating back to the past three years.

At the entrance of the National Assembly, Abuja, where they converged yesterday to express their grievances, the Head of Administration, Officer Nkem Chikwe, said: “We have been employed for the past three years, underwent series of rigorous training and retraining, but we have been denied of our salaries and allowances from the previous administration. We do not want this situation to repeat itself in this new government, because we love our new President; he is a man of honour and integrity who can make things happen.”

Chikwe added: “For the past three years, we have undergone many terrible things. They extort us by asking us to buy different forms. We have been defrauded and thrown to the streets to see what the street can offer us. The women among us suffer most. Most of them lost their pregnancy during the course of the training, yet they never gave us a dime.

“So, today, we are here appealing to the Senators, members of House of Representatives, and the whole Nigerians to come to our aid as we believe an idle hand is a devil’s workshop. We want the government to give us back our job and pay our outstanding salaries.”

Also speaking, the Assistant National Commandant of the Federal Task Force, Officer S. O. Julius, said: “The uniform on me was bought for N32,500. We filled four forms for one job, and each form costs nothing less than N30,000. We filled FERMA form, SURE-P form, FRSC form, and others. But at the end of everything, they threw all the officers on the street.

“That is why we are crying to the authorities concerned to help and assist us. We are all graduates from nook and crannies of this country, and we believe this is an agony they should bring us out from.”

•Photo shows the National Assembly Entrance, where the Federal Task Force workers staged a protest . . . yesterday.