The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has uncovered 908 suspected ghost workers across at least 50 federal ministries, departments and agencies in a massive payroll fraud investigation that has led to the recovery of approximately N942 million in fraudulent salary payments.
ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu disclosed the findings following an investigation launched in 2024 after the commission detected irregularities in pension payments. The probe exposed widespread payroll manipulation, with fictitious names allegedly inserted into government salary systems to siphon public funds.
The Nigeria Police Force topped the list of affected institutions with 570 suspected fake workers. The National Water Resources Authority followed with 80, while the Federal Ministry of Works recorded 56. Other affected agencies include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with 24, the Ministry of Defence with 19, the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment with 17 each, the Federal Ministry of Health with 15, and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation with 12.
Aliyu alleged that some senior public officials enrolled relatives and associates on government payrolls and diverted the salaries for personal benefit. Investigators uncovered one case in which a suspect allegedly placed the names of his wife, son and mother-in-law on the payroll while also collecting the salaries of 12 other workers.
The ICPC chairman said the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Interior were also implicated in the investigation, though the commission withheld the number of affected names in those institutions as inquiries continue. The commission described ghost workers as individuals whose names are illegally added to government payrolls despite not being legitimate employees, allowing fraudsters to siphon public funds through fictitious salary payments. Aliyu said investigations are ongoing and additional discoveries could emerge as the probe progresses.
Abuja Network News
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