The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured a final court order forfeiting ₦941,994,079.86 traced to an alleged payroll fraud involving ghost workers on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Binta Nyako, ordered that the recovered funds be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
According to the ICPC, the fraud was uncovered during investigations into the IPPIS platform, which revealed hundreds of fictitious workers across several Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). The commission said fake IPPIS identities were created, with salaries diverted into bank accounts belonging to individuals and companies rather than genuine civil servants.
The anti-graft agency disclosed that a joint investigation with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation uncovered 587 suspected ghost workers. While a verification exercise later cleared 120 legitimate civil servants, investigations found 467 bank accounts linked to unverified individuals. The affected institutions include the Nigeria Police Force, several federal ministries, and universities such as the University of Benin, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, University of Maiduguri, University of Calabar, and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The ICPC said it had earlier published the names of 910 suspected beneficiaries to allow anyone with legitimate claims to challenge the forfeiture proceedings. Following the court's ruling, the commission reaffirmed its commitment to fighting corruption, recovering stolen public funds, and strengthening transparency in the management of government resources.
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