Mirian Gom 
OSUN, Nigeria – A forensic audit firm accuses the Osun State Government of inserting 8,452 alleged ghost workers into its payroll, costing the state an estimated N13.7 billion annually.
SALLY TIBBOT Consulting Limited makes the allegation on Friday at a press conference in Lagos. The firm’s Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Sa’adat Bakrin-Ottun, speaks through legal counsel Jiti Ogunye.
Bakrin-Ottun says the figures emerge from a comprehensive payroll audit commissioned by the Osun State Government in 2023. “Our findings reveal pervasive payroll fraud within the state’s civil and public service system,” she says.
According to the firm, the audit covers civil servants, local government workers, teachers, tertiary institutions and pensioners. The verified payroll reduces monthly salary obligations from N4.48 billion to N3.34 billion, indicating a monthly loss of over N1.14 billion before verification.
“The exercise is challenging and at times life-threatening,” Bakrin-Ottun says, citing resistance and security threats. She adds that 125 personnel conduct physical and remote verification across the state.
She accuses the government of failing to implement the report’s recommendations or pay agreed professional fees. “Payment is not contingent on implementation, but transparency demands action,” she says.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Osun State Government prove unsuccessful as officials do not respond by publication time.
The firm calls on anti-corruption agencies to investigate, insisting its findings are factual and professionally conducted.
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Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Oluwafunbi Bello 
Hussaini Ibrahim