Katsina Govt Confirms Sack Of 3,488 Staff, Recovers ₦4.6m from Salary Fraudsters

The Katsina State Government on Wednesday announced the sack of at least 3,488 workers from 34 Local Government Councils and Local Education Authorities after a biometric screening exercise exposed widespread fraud.
Governor Dikko Radda, who announced the sack after receiving the committee’s report on Wednesday, said the exercise covered 50,172 staff, out of which 46,380 were verified, while the rest were found with fake credentials, ghost postings, absenteeism or declined to appear.
The 10-member committee uncovered falsified birth certificates, underage employment, illegal promotions, and cases where staff positions were sublet to others.
It also recovered ₦4.6m from officers drawing double salaries or collecting pay while on leave of absence.
It was gathered that the report, which was formally presented at the State Executive Council meeting, where top government officials and members of the Biometric Screening Committee were in attendance, has created the first-ever unified digital database of all LGC and LEA staff in the state’s history while projecting monthly savings of N453.3 million if recommendations are fully implemented.
Committee chairman Abdullahi A. Gagare, who said the exercise also exposed the Education Secretary of Zango LEA, who allegedly connived with others to insert 24 ghost workers, describing it as a “serious breach of trust, added that “We have been in the system for a long time, and we know these things exist. Many people complained and even warned me that the Committee’s work could damage my politics and cost me elections But I was not worried, because the situation in Katsina required reforming the system and doing the right thing.”
The Governor, who directed that the findings be turned into a White Paper for full implementation, disclosed that local governments currently have about half a billion naira saved, which will reach ₦5.7 billion with the committee’s findings.
“Despite high revenue allocations, many local governments in Katsina still struggle to pay salaries. Councils such as Kafur, Malumfashi, and Daura carry very heavy wage bills, mostly due to workers who are not genuine,” he stated.
Radda emphasised that reducing this burden will free up more funds to support grassroots development, just as he also added that“I did this to save the state from the grip of a few. This is how we can have money to work for the general people in our local governments.”