The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has uncovered 908 ghost workers across several federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), recovering about N942 million allegedly lost to payroll fraud.

ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, disclosed that the discovery followed an investigation launched in 2024 after the commission detected irregularities in pension payments.

According to Aliyu, the investigation uncovered widespread manipulation of government payroll systems, with fictitious names allegedly inserted to divert public funds.

He alleged that some senior public officials enrolled relatives and associates on government payrolls and collected salaries meant for non-existent employees.

The ICPC chairman cited one case in which a suspect allegedly placed his wife, son and mother-in-law on the payroll while also receiving the salaries of 12 other ghost workers.

Aliyu said the investigation covered at least 50 federal MDAs, with the Nigeria Police Force recording the highest number of suspected ghost workers at 570.

Other agencies affected include the National Water Resources Authority with 80 ghost workers, the Federal Ministry of Works with 56, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with 24, and the Ministry of Defence with 19.

He added that the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment each recorded 17 ghost workers, while the Federal Ministry of Health had 15, and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation recorded 12.

Aliyu also disclosed that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Interior were implicated in the investigation, although the commission did not disclose the number of suspected ghost workers in those institutions as investigations are ongoing.

The ICPC said efforts to recover additional funds and prosecute those responsible for the alleged payroll fraud are continuing.