The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has revealed a staggering 22,074 suspicious personnel on the Federal Government’s payroll, raising significant concerns despite the ongoing use of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
The ICPC’s report discloses that last year alone, the government allocated a staggering sum of N37,103,337,614.40 to these questionable employees. The discrepancies span across various Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), and tertiary institutions, with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) emerging as the most heavily implicated entity.
The audit found 12,714 personnel on the MDAs’ payrolls who were missing from the service-wide nominal roll from January to December of the previous year. The financial impact of these irregularities is estimated at N34,808,740,634.37. Moreover, approximately 4,190 former police officers were discovered on the IPPIS payroll, further complicating the issue.
These findings stem from a thorough review of the IPPIS, conducted as part of the anti-corruption system assessment initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. The investigation revealed instances of tampering and manipulation within the IPPIS, including the insertion of ghost workers and other suspicious personnel.
Among the fraudulent practices uncovered, ICPC investigators reported numerous cases of double salary payments, fictitious names, fake identities, and the operation of multiple IPPIS accounts. Notably, about 95 personnel across various MDAs were found with names listed on both the payroll and nominal roll, but discrepancies emerged when their identities were verified.
In particular, the Ministry of Works had 212 officers on the IPPIS payroll with a combined monthly salary of N31,986,324.40 who were absent from both the ministry’s nominal roll and the service-wide nominal roll.
The ICPC’s analysis highlighted a significant discrepancy of 12,174 personnel between the nominal roll and the payroll from January to December 2023. The commission emphasized that the fraud was especially entrenched in the Nigeria Police Force, where thousands of former employees were found on the payroll.
The report detailed that out of 350,028 names on the NPF nominal roll and 312,047 on the payroll, 37,160 were marked as “ex-employees.” However, discrepancies were found, with 4,190 ex-employees still receiving salaries totaling N980,273,690.51 in December 2023.
Of these, 3,228 had consistent records, while 962 had mismatched details. Further investigation revealed that 20 staff not listed on the nominal roll received payments totaling N5,585,256.13. Additionally, 40 different staff had multiple IPPIS numbers linked to a single account, with 21 of these receiving double salaries.
The findings also exposed an account linked to two officers registered under the name of Don Aks Ikoro Global, with mismatched names on the nominal and payroll records. This comprehensive report underscores the urgent need for reform and greater scrutiny within the IPPIS system to prevent future abuses.
