Forensic Firm Alleges 8,452 Ghost Workers in Osun State Payroll
A Lagos-based forensic audit firm, Sally Tibbot Consulting Limited, has accused the Osun State Government of allegedly inserting 8,452 ghost workers into its payroll, resulting in an annual loss of N13.7 billion.
The allegation was made by the firm’s Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Sa’adat Bakrin-Ottun, through legal counsel Jiti Ogunye at a press conference in Lagos on Friday.
According to Bakrin-Ottun, the figures emerged from a comprehensive forensic audit and payroll validation exercise carried out between June and December 2023. The audit reportedly covered the civil service, local governments, education boards, tertiary institutions, and state pensioners.
The firm claims that the pre-audit payroll stood at N4.48 billion monthly for 37,456 staff and 17,918 pensioners, while the verified payroll dropped to N3.34 billion monthly for 29,004 staff and the same number of pensioners — suggesting the presence of 8,452 ghost workers.
Bakrin-Ottun said the audit report was submitted to Governor Ademola Adeleke in June and July 2024, but the government had not implemented the recommendations or paid the agreed professional fees, despite contractual obligations.
Osun State Government Debunks Claims
The Osun State Government has dismissed the allegations, describing the audit firm’s findings as “inaccurate, misleading, and inflated”.
The government stated that a re-verification exercise showed that most of the workers labeled as ghost staff by the firm were actual employees or legitimate retirees, leaving only a small number of unverified individuals.
The state also clarified that the audit firm’s claims about unpaid fees and implementation obligations were misrepresented, and the government maintains that it follows proper payroll management and verification procedures.
Ongoing Dispute
Sally Tibbot Consulting insists its findings are accurate and based on extensive physical and remote verification. The firm has urged anti-corruption agencies to investigate, arguing the matter involves public accountability and transparency.
Also Read: Adeleke Raises Fresh Alarm Over Alleged Plot to Attack Osun LG Secretariats
Meanwhile, the Osun government continues to reject the claims, framing the dispute as a contractual and technical disagreement rather than evidence of widespread payroll fraud.
This ongoing controversy highlights the challenges of payroll management in Nigerian states and underscores the need for transparency and verification in public service payments.
