Katsina State has dismissed 3,488 workers following a biometric screening exercise and recovered ₦4.6 million from those engaged in salary fraud.
In a sweeping administrative shake-up, the Katsina State Government announced the sacking of 3,488 staff across 34 Local Government Councils and Local Education Authorities after a biometric screening revealed widespread malpractices. The screening covered 50,172 personnel, of whom 46,380 were verified; the remainder had fake credentials, ghost postings, or declined to participate.
Beyond the dismissals, the state has already recovered ₦4.6 million from officers found drawing double salaries or collecting pay while on leave. Committee chairman Abdullahi A. Gagare disclosed the exposure of a case in which the Education Secretary of Zango LEA “connived with others to insert 24 ghost workers,” calling it a “serious breach of trust.”
Governor Dikko Radda, receiving the report in a State Executive Council session, defended the purge: “Many people complained … 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.” He instructed that the findings be turned into a White Paper for full implementation and projected savings of ₦453.3 million monthly if recommendations were carried out.