Salary Scam: Bello Sacks 80 Civil Servants in Niger State

The Niger State Government has sacked 80 civil servants across various ministries, department and agencies over alleged salary scam running into millions of Naira.

According to the source, they were found guilty in the ongoing salary verification exercise going on in the State.

It was gathered that the Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello approved the sacking of the workers at the state’s executive council meeting which held on Wednesday in Minna.

Niger State Head of Service, Hajiya Salamatu Abubakar, noted that all the affected workers would soon get their dismissal letters.

According to her, all the indicted civil servants made confessional statements before the state salary audit committee and their respective ministries, Department and Agencies on their roles of adding ghost names to the state payroll to paying themselves salaries and allowances they were not qualified for.

She added, “There was an instance where a messenger in the State Judicial Service was found to be collecting the salary of a High Court Judge, it is as bad as that.

“Also, a civil servant was also impersonating the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Haruna Dukku, and collecting his salary, making it look as if he was earning double salary. What will he tell EFCC after leaving office if such an individual was not apprehended?”

Giving a breakdown of the number of affected civil servants, the Head of service said “the state Hospital management board has a total of 45 personnel found to be involved in the salary racketeering syndicate.

“In the state judiciary, comprising Sharia courts, Magistrate and High courts officials, 22 personnel are indicted, while primary Health Care Development Agency – three, Ministry of Health – seven, Ministry of Education – one and School of Midwifery Minna has two persons found culpable during the salary audit.”

Source: Punch