The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has uncovered 908 suspected ghost workers across several federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), with about N942 million recovered from alleged fraudulent salary payments.

ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu disclosed that the findings emerged from an investigation initiated in 2024 after the commission detected irregularities in pension-related payments.

According to Aliyu, the investigation revealed that some senior public officials allegedly inserted the names of relatives and associates into government payroll systems and diverted the salaries paid to the fictitious employees for personal gain.

He cited a case in which a suspect allegedly listed his wife, son and mother-in-law as government workers while also receiving salaries meant for 12 other individuals.

The ICPC chairman said the investigation has so far covered about 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, where 80 suspected ghost workers were identified, the Federal Ministry of Works with 56, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with 24, and the Ministry of Defence with 19.

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

He further disclosed that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Interior also featured in the ongoing investigation, although the commission did not reveal the number of suspected ghost workers linked to the two institutions, saying inquiries are still underway.