In Zamfara State, over 1300 civil servants did not show up for a verification exercise organized by Governor Dauda Lawal. This exercise was meant to confirm the status of civil servants in the state.

Only about 800 workers attended the verification process, far fewer than expected. The Governor created the committee after pressure from the state branches of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC). These groups argued that many workers were unfairly laid off.

The labour leaders said the introduction of the N70,000 minimum wage caused some workers to be wrongly dismissed.

Yakubu Sani Haidara, the State’s Head of Service, told journalists that the turnout for the exercise was low. Because of this, the Governor extended the exercise by ten days, ending on May 20, 2025. Still, not many workers came forward.

Haidara explained that civil service has strict rules. Workers who did not show up for the verification will be treated as if they no longer work for the state.

He also revealed that 209 workers from the Ministry of Education left their jobs without permission. He said that if a worker is absent for weeks or months without approval, it is like they have quit.

However, after intervention by some influential people, the Governor allowed those 209 workers to return to work if they wrote letters of apology. They will not receive pay for the months they were away.

Similarly, 51 workers from the Ministry of Finance also absconded. Out of these, 39 have been rehired, while 11 are still asking to come back.

The government says it does not want to fire anyone unfairly. Its goal is to improve the civil service in Zamfara.

Finally, Haidara said every civil servant must justify the salary they receive each month.