By Ajibola Olaide, JKNewsMedia Reporter
PAYROLL FRAUD involving 908 alleged ghost workers across at least 50 Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies has been uncovered by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), cumulating to about N942 million believed to have been fraudulently paid as salaries recovered.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the latest investigation, launched by the ICPC in 2024, followed the discovery of suspicious irregularities in pension payments.
The commission expanded its probe to examine salary records across federal institutions.
Speaking to BBC Pidgin, ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, SAN, said ghost workers are individuals whose names are fraudulently inserted into government payroll systems despite not being legitimate employees.
Aliyu said investigators uncovered schemes used to divert public funds, including a case in which a suspect allegedly enrolled his wife, son and mother-in-law on the payroll while also collecting the salaries of 12 legitimate government workers.
The commission said the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) recorded the highest number of alleged ghost workers, with 570 names identified during the investigation.
Also, the National Water Resources Authority (NWRA) recorded 80 alleged ghost workers, while the Federal Ministry of Works (FMW) had 56 suspected ghost workers identified during the payroll verification exercise.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) also recorded 24 alleged ghost workers, while the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had 19.
Other affected institutions include the Federal Ministry of Electricity (FME) and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMIT), with 17 alleged ghost workers each.
The Federal Ministry of Health (FMH) recorded 15, while the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) had 12.
Not left out is the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) and the Federal Ministry of Interior (FMI) were also listed among affected institutions.
JKNewsMedia.com also reports that the ICPC said the payroll verification exercise forms part of a broader anti-corruption campaign aimed at sanitising the Federal Government (FG) payroll system and preventing the diversion of public funds.
The commission said the N942 million recovered represents funds allegedly paid to nonexistent employees and added that investigations are continuing to identify additional suspects, recover more stolen funds and prosecute those involved.
Also, the anti-graft agency reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling payroll fraud networks within the public service and warned that officials found culpable would face prosecution.
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