Anti-graft agency exposes phantom payroll scandal, reveals government official on payroll with 14 relatives

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has made a startling discovery, uncovering instances of ghost workers who have been illicitly added to government payrolls, including a notable case where an official registered 14 family members and another individual who allegedly received 13 salaries.

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This revelation was made by the ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu (SAN), during his keynote address at the 2026 Economic Confidential Lecture and National Spokespersons Award, which was organised by Image Merchants Promotions Limited in Abuja on Thursday.

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According to Aliyu, the commission's probe into ghost workers has shed light on the manipulative tactics employed by individuals to exploit government payroll systems and receive multiple salaries, with one person enrolling 14 family members and receiving salaries while residing in a hotel.

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Another individual allegedly enrolled their wife, daughter, son, and other family members, resulting in the collection of 13 salaries, as disclosed by the ICPC chairman, who also revealed that the commission has identified approximately 900 suspected ghost workers and published their names, challenging them to verify their employment status.

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The ICPC spent about a year investigating these suspected ghost workers, ultimately uncovering the methods used to insert fictitious names into government payrolls, and as a result, secured the income of around 900 ghost workers, whose names were published in the papers, as stated by Aliyu.

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In some cases, the names of alleged ghost workers appeared on official payrolls with accompanying email addresses, while the bank account details were linked to other individuals, as explained by Aliyu, who noted that this was a common tactic used to perpetrate the fraud.

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Aliyu warned that the consequences of ghost workers extend far beyond salaries, as fraudulent entries can also lead to ghost pensions, housing, health insurance, and other benefits, emphasizing the need for urgent action to address this issue.

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The ICPC chairman highlighted that the commission's intervention is aimed at protecting public resources and strengthening the economy, as fraudulent payroll practices impose significant additional costs on the country, and noted that the commission recovered over N24bn in ghost pension funds in 2024.

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Aliyu disclosed that the commission has adopted a collaborative approach, working across agencies and implementing preventive measures to tackle corruption and recover government resources, and stressed that the focus is shifting towards preventing corruption and ensuring proper project execution rather than relying solely on prosecution.

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He emphasized that preventing corruption is a more effective approach than filing criminal charges, questioning the practicality of filing numerous charges, and noted that the commission has recovered or secured government resources through interventions in various projects and areas.

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The ultimate goal, according to Aliyu, is to ensure that Nigerians benefit from public expenditure, and he also advocated for the increased use of data and technology in combating corruption, emphasizing the importance of effective communication and access to reliable information in building public confidence in anti-corruption efforts.

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Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of Image Merchants Promotions Limited, Yusha’u Shuaib, stated that the lecture was organised to promote stronger governance through transparency, accountability, and professional communication, honouring the gathering of leaders, professionals, scholars, and communication experts committed to strengthening governance and promoting transparency.