Alhaji Bature Shinkafi, the Sokoto State Head of Service, said the state government had released N1.2 billion for the payment of gratuity and pension arrears.

Shinkafi, who made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Sokoto, said that no fewer than 776 living and deceased would benefit from the gesture.

“This is the second batch of the gesture and it entails payments of life, death and contract gratuities.

“No fewer than 1,200 beneficiaries had since been paid over N 1.4 billion under the first phase of the payments done over one month ago.”

He said that the payments followed the approval of N 2.6 billion for the payments by Gov. Aminu Tambuwal.

Shinkafi said that the gesture was aimed at further alleviating the suffering of the people. (NAN)

•Photo shows Gov. Tambuwal.