Nigerian Police Force Leads in ‘Ghost Workers’ Scandal as ICPC Uncovers 12,000 Fake Employees

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has uncovered a massive payroll fraud scheme involving over 22,000 suspicious personnel across various federal government agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). The scheme, which has been ongoing despite the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), has resulted in a financial loss of N34.8 billion to the government.

According to the ICPC report, the NPF was the most implicated, with thousands of ex-employees still on the payroll. The report revealed that 4,190 former police officers were receiving salaries, with 3,228 having consistent records, while 962 had inconsistent account numbers and names.

The ICPC also found instances of double salary payments, fictitious names, and ghost workers across 20 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). The report highlighted several cases of fraud, including:

– 95 personnel with names listed on both the payroll and nominal roll, but with discrepancies in their identities
– 24 workers receiving double salaries from their agencies and other sources
– 212 officers at the Ministry of Works absent from the nominal roll, but receiving salaries

The ICPC’s findings suggest a systemic problem with the IPPIS, which has been tampered with, manipulated, and padded with ghost workers. The commission’s report has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the government’s anti-corruption measures and the need for a comprehensive overhaul of the payroll system.