ICPC recovers ₦942m paid to 908 ghost workers

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has recovered about ₦942 million fraudulently paid as salaries to 908 ghost workers uncovered across at least 50 federal ministries, departments and agencies.

According to a BBC Pidgin report published on Wednesday, ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu (SAN), said the investigation began in 2024 after the commission detected irregularities in pension payments.

Aliyu said the probe revealed that the ghost workers had been illegally inserted into the Federal Government payroll despite not being legitimate employees, with salaries diverted into the accounts of those responsible for the fraud.

The report also quoted Barrister Musa Adamu as disclosing that one suspect allegedly placed the names of his wife, son and mother-in-law on the government payroll while also collecting salaries for 12 other ghost workers.

According to the ICPC chairman, the Nigeria Police Force recorded the highest number of suspected ghost workers, with 570 names identified during the investigation.

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

The commission said the Ministries of Electricity, Trade and Investment, Health, Interior, as well as the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, were also affected.

ICPC said funds linked to the fraudulent salary payments had been recovered, adding that investigations were continuing to identify and prosecute those involved.