The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured a final court order forfeiting N941.9 million linked to an alleged ghost worker fraud uncovered on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
The ruling was delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which ordered that the funds be forfeited to the Federal Government after investigators traced the money to suspected fraudulent payroll activities.
Court Grants Final Forfeiture OrderJustice Binta Nyako granted the final forfeiture order following an ex parte application filed by the ICPC on behalf of the Federal Government.
According to the commission, the funds are believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities uncovered during investigations into irregularities within the IPPIS payroll system.
The court ordered that N941,994,079.86 be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
Investigation Uncovered Hundreds of Suspected Ghost Workers The ICPC said the investigation began after a systems review conducted in 2023 revealed widespread payroll irregularities involving fictitious employees across several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Following the findings, President Bola Tinubu approved a comprehensive audit of the IPPIS platform, leading to a joint investigation by the ICPC and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) in April 2024.
The probe reportedly uncovered 587 suspected ghost workers whose identities were linked to questionable salary payments.
Salaries Allegedly Paid Into Fake Accounts According to the commission, investigators discovered that fictitious IPPIS profiles had been created for non existent workers, with salaries allegedly paid into bank accounts belonging to individuals and companies.
The investigation also found cases where account names did not match the identities of the supposed employees, while some accounts allegedly received multiple salary payments at the same time.
To prevent the movement of the suspected proceeds, the ICPC placed Post No Debit (PND) restrictions on the affected bank accounts between August and November 2024, freezing a total of N941.9 million.
Several Government Agencies AffectedThe commission said the alleged payroll fraud involved institutions including the Nigeria Police Force, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, and several federal ministries and universities across the country.
These include the Ministries of Defence, Education, Agriculture and Rural Development, Works, Water Resources and Interior, as well as the University of Benin, University of Calabar, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, University of Maiduguri, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies.
120 Civil Servants Cleared During VerificationThe ICPC disclosed that a nationwide verification exercise conducted in 2025 confirmed the identities of 120 genuine civil servants, who were subsequently reinstated on the IPPIS platform.
However, investigators said 467 bank accounts remained linked to individuals whose identities could not be verified, leading to the forfeiture proceedings.
During the hearing, ICPC counsel Hamza Sani presented records containing IPPIS numbers, bank account details and the identities of the alleged beneficiaries to support the commission’s application.
ICPC Reaffirms Commitment to Fighting CorruptionIn her ruling, Justice Nyako ordered the final forfeiture of the frozen funds to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The ICPC described the judgment as a significant step in its efforts to recover public funds, combat payroll fraud and strengthen transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s public service.
