ICPC uncovers ghost payrolls, official paying 14 family members

Nigeria's Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has exposed a significant issue of ghost workers and payroll fraud within government systems. ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu revealed that investigations have uncovered officials manipulating payrolls to receive multiple salaries and enroll fictitious employees.

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We discovered that one person enrolled 14 members of his family. He lived in a religious hotel, a hotel at the public office, receiving salaries.

Aliyu disclosed that one official allegedly enrolled 14 family members onto the government payroll, while another was found to be collecting 13 salaries. These individuals reportedly received salaries despite not performing any official duties, highlighting a deep-seated corruption within the system. The commission's efforts aim to plug these loopholes and ensure public funds are utilized effectively.

The ICPC has identified approximately 900 suspected ghost workers, whose names have been published, challenging them to prove their legitimacy. The commission spent a year investigating the methods used to insert these fictitious names, noting that while employee details like email addresses appear on payrolls, the associated bank accounts often belong to other individuals.

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We now secured the income of about 900 ghost workers, whose names we published in papers.

Beyond ghost workers, the commission warned that such fraudulent practices can extend to ghost pensions, housing, health insurance, and other benefits, further draining public resources. In 2024 alone, the ICPC recovered over N24 billion in ghost pension funds, underscoring the scale of financial leakage.

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Because, you know, once there is a ghost worker, there is ghost pension, there is ghost mortgage, there is ghost housing fund, there is ghost health insurance.

To combat this pervasive corruption, the ICPC is implementing cross-agency collaborations and preventive measures. Chairman Aliyu emphasized that these interventions are crucial for protecting public resources and strengthening the Nigerian economy by eliminating fraudulent payroll practices that impose additional costs on the nation.

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In 2024, we recovered over N24bn in ghost workers’ pension.