The socio-political group and advocate of good governance, The Integrity Group of Nigeria, Osun State Chapter, has issued a stern call to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately intervene in what it described as a monumental payroll fraud allegedly uncovered within the Osun State Government under the current administration.
According to a forensic audit reportedly conducted by SALLY TIBBOT Consulting, an alarming 8,452 ghost workers were allegedly discovered on the Osun State civil service payroll, a criminal leakage said to be draining the state treasury of over ₦13.7 billion annually. The group condemned the development as economic sabotage and a blatant betrayal of public trust.
In a statement released on Saturday in Osogbo by the Group’s Publicity Secretary, Hon. Ismail Alade Iwa, the Chairman, Comrade Salam Mustapha Olamilekan, decried the scale of the alleged fraud, noting that it exposes deep-seated financial recklessness and possible internal collaboration at the highest levels of payroll management.
“At a time when workers are subjected to hardship, pensioners are groaning, and essential sectors like education and healthcare are starved of funds, ₦13.7 billion is allegedly being siphoned yearly through ghost names. This is not mismanagement; it is organized financial crime,” the statement declared.
The Integrity Group therefore formally demands an immediate, independent, and comprehensive investigation by the EFCC and other relevant anti-graft agencies, insisting that all officials found culpable must be prosecuted without fear or favour, and every kobo of stolen public funds recovered.
The group warned that any attempt to sweep the matter under the carpet would confirm a deliberate effort to shield corruption and further impoverish the people of Osun State.
“Osun State cannot continue to bleed financially while a few individuals feast on public resources. This fraud must be exposed, punished, and stopped,” the group asserted.
The Integrity Group of Nigeria reaffirmed its resolve to continue mobilising public opinion and engaging lawful means to ensure transparency, accountability, and fiscal sanity in the governance of Osun State.
e-Signed:
Comr Salam Mustapha Olamilekan
Chairman, Integrity Group of Nigeria
Osun State Chapter
10/01/2026
