Law enforcement tops payroll scam roster as anti-graft agency uncovers 908 phantom employees

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has uncovered 908 ghost workers across several federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), recovering about N942 million allegedly paid out through the fraudulent payroll scheme.

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According to BBC Pidgin, ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu disclosed that the discovery followed an investigation launched in 2024 after the commission identified irregularities in pension payments.

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Aliyu explained that the probe exposed widespread payroll manipulation, with fictitious names allegedly inserted into government salary systems to syphon public funds.

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He alleged that some senior public officials enrolled relatives and associates on government payrolls and diverted the salaries for personal use.

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The ICPC chairman cited 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.

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He said the investigation covered at least 50 federal MDAs, with the Nigeria Police Force recording the highest number of suspected ghost workers at 570.

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Other affected institutions include the National Water Resources Authority with 80 ghost workers, the Federal Ministry of Works with 56, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with 24, and the Ministry of Defence with 19.

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Aliyu added that the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment each recorded 17 ghost workers, while the Federal Ministry of Health had 15 and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation had 12.

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He further disclosed that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Interior were also implicated in the investigation, although the commission withheld the number of affected names in those institutions as inquiries continue.

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