Public officials in Kano State are being ordered by the state government to resign from their positions and relinquish all government property and responsibilities to their direct reports as soon as they reach the age of statutory retirement or fulfilll the necessary length of service.
The instruction was contained in Circular No. 10/2026, which was signed by Abba A. Danguguwa, Permanent Secretary, Establishment, on behalf of the Head of the Civil Service, and dated October 6, 2026.
The recipients of the circular, with the reference number HCS/GEN/3/T.1, included high officials such as permanent secretary, commissioners, agency heads, and members of boards and commissions.
Some government employees were found to be carrying out their official tasks even after reaching the age of mandatory retirement or having completed the necessary number of years of service, according to the administration.
It said the policy went against the grain of the state civil service’s long-standing practice of ensuring a seamless handoff of power from retiring officials.
State Civil Service Rules and other relevant regulations were violated, according to the administration, when employees stayed in service over the statutory retirement limit.
In a statement made public by the circular, it was stressed that the conduct of overstaying constitutes a clear violation of the State Civil Service Rules and other existing legislation pertaining to service.
“It is imperative that all officers who have attained the age of statutory retirement or fulfilled the necessary service requirements promptly resign from their positions and relinquish all official documents, government property, and duties to their direct reports.”
Permanent secretaries, chief executives, directors of administration, and personnel management are all considered accounting officers by the government, and they have been ordered to guarantee quick compliance with the order.
Disciplinary action would be taken in accordance with the Civil Service Rules against any officer who is discovered to be helping, assisting, or tolerating a retired officer’s continued service, the government said.