The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it has discovered 400 ghost workers in Kwara State, revealing how some state officials are beneficiaries of the corrupt scheme.
PREMIUM TIMES recently reported how the commission exposed 1,000 ghost workers, allegedly smuggled into the payroll of Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KWSUBEB).
According to the media officer of the anti-graft commission, Dele Oyewale, on Friday, the Ilorin Zonal Office of the commission discovered that N31 million, meant for the payment of salaries of the 400 ghost workers, was allegedly shared some of the state officials.
Those allegedly fingered include the chairman, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) Kwara State, Salihu Toyin and the permanent secretary, State Universal Basic Education Board, (SUBEB), Bayo Onimago.
Also, the commission listed the director of finance, SUBEB, Ahmed Husain, coordinator, Nigerian Union of Journalists , Kwara State, Tijani Idris and controller of finance, SUBEB, Omole John, among the beneficiaries.
‘How the monies were shared’
Revealing how the money was shared, the NUT Chairman, was quoted to have told EFCC that sum of N12 million was paid into an account operated by himself and others.
“The money was actually not supposed to come but when the cash hit the account. I withdrew it and gave it to SUBEB Officials, they gave us N3 million for free and we shared it among ourselves,” the statement read.
“We also received another N19 million. I withdrew N4 million from it, I used N1.5 million for clearing and interlocking of our quarters, the remaining N2.5 million is still with me,” the suspect reportedly said.
According to the anti-graft agency, all the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded.
In the last two years, state governments across Nigeria have uncovered thousands of ghost workers using the Bank Verification Number (BVN) and other measures
