Zamfara suspends top officials for ‘recruitment racketeering’

The Zamfara state government has suspended eight top officials for alleged recruitment racketeering.

Speaking on the development, Rabiu Garba, the state commissioner for finance, said the suspended officials include the director of finance, hospital management board; director of salary, state ministry of finance and his deputy, and five other officials from the ministry.

He said they are accused of recruitment racketeering which has cost the state government N216 million in salary payment to illegal workers.

Garba said one of the suspended officials was receiving the salary a medical doctor thrice in a month.

He said the affected officials will be prosecuted if found guilty.

“This is a serious crime at Zamfara civil service affecting the implementation of new minimum wage,” Garba said.

“There are some workers that are receiving only N7000 because the wage bill almost tallies with monthly allocation and the internally generated revenue (IGR) is declining.

“In the next two weeks the public would know the outcome of the investigation, we would name all the officials involved and the banks that are aiding them in committing the fraud.

“We would submit the banks’ names to the Central Bank of Nigeria for further disciplinary action.”