Outrage erupted on Sunday over a report that a UK-based Nigerian taxi driver, Sabitu Adams (not real name), remained on the Federal Government’s payroll despite migrating to the UK in 2022. Adams, a 36-year-old civil servant, confessed to the BBC that he still receives N150,000 monthly from his government job in Nigeria, thanks to an understanding with his boss.
“I didn’t resign because I wanted to leave that door open in case I choose to go back to my job after a few years,” Adams said in an interview with the BBC. “When I heard about the President’s directive, I smiled because I know I am doing better here – and not worried.”
Civil society organizations condemned the report, citing it as evidence of deep-rooted corruption in the Nigerian civil service. “This is a clear case of corruption and lack of accountability in the civil service,” said Auwal Musa, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre. “If people who are not supposed to collect salaries are still collecting, it can only mean that some people are coordinating to short-change the nation.”
“The lack of accountability in governance is the crux of the matter,” Musa added. “Everything is corrupted. A lot of people are getting these salaries and allowances without appearing in the office. I think corruption has undermined the effectiveness of the civil service in Nigeria.”
Debo Adeniran, Executive Director of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, called for the Head of the Civil Service to be fired, citing dereliction of duty. “It is an admission of dereliction of duty and it is enough for the Head of the Civil Service to be fired because it is her job to ensure that every civil servant is at his duty post at every particular time,” Adeniran said.
Emmanuel Onwubiko, National Coordinator of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, demanded consequences for those responsible. “What is going to happen to the person that allowed it to happen?” Onwubiko asked. “That is what the government should be asking. Extend it to those who benefited initially from the funds. If it is the Head of Service, the person should be dismissed. If the person is no longer in service, then appropriate actions must be taken.”
Okechukwu Nwagunma, Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, described the practice as “unacceptable” within the public service. “If any public servant needs to travel out of Nigeria and stay away from work, there must be a permit,” Nwagunma said.
Biodun Sowunmi of the Think Tank Group attributed the situation to a total system breakdown, urging the government to take decisive action to identify and punish those responsible. “We now have a situation whereby we have workers both in the state and federal civil service, but in reality, some of them are based abroad,” Sowunmi said. “Either they went for a quick job or they relocated abroad without their salaries being discontinued. This is a mark of corruption within the system.”
Alex Omotehinse of the Centre for Human and Social Economic Rights criticized anti-corruption agencies for selectiveness in their efforts to combat corruption. “That is what we are saying about how corruption has eaten deep into our policies, and the so-called anti-graft agencies are experts in selectiveness in the fight against corruption,” Omotehinse said.
Olusegun Elemo of Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative highlighted that the “japa syndrome” affects various states and agencies, proposing comprehensive reforms, payroll audits, and performance assessments to enhance productivity and accountability within the civil service. “What the government needs to do; not just the federal government now but even the state government and local government, they need to conduct a payroll audit,” Elemo said.
The issue of ghost workers in the federal civil service has been a persistent problem, with several notable cases highlighting the extent of the issue. The government has made efforts to address the problem, including the use of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, which has identified and removed thousands of ghost workers, saving billions of naira.
“It is not only these people who should be made to pay back but also those who are authorizing the payment at the departmental level should also be made to face the music,” Sowunmi said. “How could they have been collecting salaries for a year and more without anybody not knowing? Whoever is in charge of certifying the payment of workers should also be culpable. All of those within the service who collaborated with these people should be prosecuted.”
