The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) yesterday disclosed that it has uncovered 908 fake workers across several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government, in a payroll fraud that allegedly siphoned hundreds of millions of naira.
The anti-graft agency said it recovered about N942 million allegedly linked to fraudulent salary payments made to the fictitious employees. The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) topped the list with 570 suspected fake workers.
According to BBC Pidgin, the Chairman of the ICPC, Musa Aliyu said the discovery followed an investigation launched by the commission in 2024 after it detected irregularities in pension payments.
Aliyu said the investigation uncovered cases where senior officials allegedly enrolled relatives and associates on payrolls and diverted the salaries for personal benefit.
He said investigators found a suspect who allegedly placed the names of his wife, son and mother-in-law on the payroll while collecting the salaries of 12 other workers.
Below are the five agencies with the highest number of alleged fake workers identified during the investigation.
1. Nigeria Police Force – 570 alleged fake workers
The Nigeria Police Force recorded the highest number of alleged fake workers uncovered by the ICPC.
According to the commission, investigators identified 570 individuals who were allegedly receiving salaries despite not being genuine personnel of the force.
2. National Water Resources Authority – 80 alleged fake workers
The National Water Resources Authority ranked second after investigators allegedly discovered 80 fake workers on its payroll. The authority is responsible for managing Nigeria’s water resources and supporting access to potable water nationwide.
3. Federal Ministry of Works – 56 alleged fake workers
The Federal Ministry of Works came third after the commission said it uncovered 56 alleged fake workers.
The ministry is responsible for planning, constructing and maintaining federal roads and highways across the country. According to the ICPC, the names were identified during a wider payroll verification exercise.
4. Ministry of Foreign Affairs – 24 alleged fake workers
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also listed among the agencies with the highest number of alleged fake workers.
The commission said investigators identified 24 individuals who allegedly posed as employees while receiving government salaries.
The ministry oversees Nigeria’s diplomatic relations and foreign policy.
5. Ministry of Defence – 19 alleged fake workers
The Ministry of Defence completed the top five after the ICPC identified 19 alleged fake workers.
The ministry is responsible for coordinating Nigeria’s defence policies and supervising the country’s armed forces.
Other agencies mentioned included: Federal Ministry of Electricity – 17, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment – 17, Federal Ministry of Health – 15, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation – 12, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and Federal Ministry of Interior.
