Kaduna State will now save some N1.3bn annually after State Governor El-Rufai laid bare a pension scam ran by ghosts.

A statement issued by El-Rufai’s spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan revealed that a total of 2,484 ghost pensioners have also been removed from the pension payroll while further investigations are ongoing.

“In July 2015, the total pension payroll from the state and local governments stood at 18,265. It cost the state government N543, 771,967.43 monthly to pay the pensioners.

“But at the end of the biometric verification exercise, only 15,781 pensioners were verified on the payroll. As many as 2,484 supposed pensioners did not show up at all. Of 15,781 pensioners that were verified, 1,404 pensioners did not collect their cheques, and they are being treated as probable ghosts.

“The Kaduna State Executive Council has ordered further investigations into the precise identities of the syndicate behind the pension scam. The council welcomed the fact that the verification of the pension payroll will now enable the state to save N1.3 billion every year.”