Police top list as ICPC exposes 908 ghost workers across MDAs
ICPC Uncovers Payroll Fraud Scheme Involving 908 Ghost Workers
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has announced the discovery of 908 ghost workers across various federal ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). This payroll fraud scheme is estimated to have siphoned hundreds of millions of naira from government resources.
The ICPC reported recovering approximately ₦942 million, believed to have been disbursed as salaries to these non-existent employees.
ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu stated that the findings were part of an investigation initiated in 2024, following irregularities identified in pension payments. The commission characterized ghost workers as individuals whose names have been unlawfully added to government payrolls despite not being actual employees.
Aliyu indicated that investigators found instances where senior government officials allegedly enrolled relatives and close contacts onto payrolls, utilizing the salary payments for personal gain. In one notable case, a suspect reportedly added the names of his wife, son, and mother-in-law to the payroll while also collecting salaries for 12 other employees.
The investigation encompassed at least 50 MDAs, revealing significant disparities in ghost worker populations among them. The Nigeria Police Force topped the list with 570 suspected ghost workers, while the National Water Resources Authority reported 80. The Federal Ministry of Works followed with 56 ghost workers, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recorded 24. Additionally, the Ministry of Defence accounted for 19, and both the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment had 17 each. The Federal Ministry of Health reported 15 ghost workers, whereas the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation noted 12.
Aliyu further mentioned that both the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Interior were implicated in the fraud. However, detailed figures for these institutions have not yet been disclosed as investigations are still ongoing.
