Chairman of the Civil Service Commission in Niger State (NCSC) Malam Galadima has said that thirty civil servants involved in N258 million pension scam in the immediate past administration have been punished in accordance with civil service rules.

It was agreed that some civil servants were found wanting in the management of the money meant to pay retirees in the immediate past administration, although some of the accused civil servants had agreed that they committed the offense and that they have refunded about N156.48 million pending a balance of N94.29 million.

However, the Chairman of the CSC who stated that the commission acted in accordance with the constitution maintained  that of the 30 civil servants accused, three were dismissed, thirteen retired, eight demoted, while one was advised because he was found to have innocently accepted the money as gift.

He stated that the state assembly has invited the accused persons and  have held a meeting, saying the recent request from the house for a report on the matter was out of the mandate of the commission hence the sections relied upon by the state house of assembly for the request were general provisions.

According to him, by judicial interpretations, the commission derived its powers from special provisions that take precedence over general provisions which, he said, was why the commission could not subject it’s reports to any outside influence.