N301.7m paid to non-existing staff members as Benue uncovers massive fraud

macfranc007 March 01, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Omotayo Yusuf

- A committee set up in Benue state has discovered massive salary fraud in its civil service

- Governor Samuel Ortom had vowed to reduce the state’s monthly wage bill and therefore, set up a committee to achieve this

- It was discovered that some retired civil servants were still on the state’s payroll, in addition, N301.7 million was reportedly paid to non-existing members of staff

The Salary Verification Committee in Benue state has uncovered N3.514 billion salary fraud following the ongoing verification exercise in the state.

According to Daily Trust, this was contained in the phase II report of the Salary Verification Committee which was headed by a retired permanent secretary, Tersegha Ikyaabo.

The report submitted to Governor Samuel Ortom revealed that “the over N3.514 billion salary fraud was in excess payments to undeserving staff in seven of the Benue state's Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), with staff strength of 8,913 between June 2015 and April 2017.”

The seven MDAs included “the Benue State Teaching Service Board (TSB), Hospital Management Board (HMB) and five tertiary institution of Akawe Torkula College of Advanced and Professional Studies in Makurdi, Benue State Polytechnic in Ugbokolo, the Colleges of Education in Kastina Ala and Oju respectively as well as Akperan Orshi College of Agriculture, Yandev.”

The sum of N301.7 million was reportedly paid to non-existing members of staff who failed to show up for the verification exercise while N619.6 million was paid to retired staff members.

Governor Ortom had set up the committee with a view to reduce the state's monthly wage bill from 7.8 billion to N4.5 billion.

Meanwhile, troops of 101 special forces battalion on Excercise Ayem Akpatuma (Cat Race) deployed at Numan local government area of Adamawa state swiftly responded to a distress call and supported troops at Gwamba village under attack by herdsmen on Tuesday, February 27.

According to a statement sent to NAIJ.com by the director, army public relations, Brigadier-General Texas Chukwu, despite the swift reaction to rescue the village from destruction, the notorious herdsmen set the village ablaze before the troops arrived.

Victims of herdsmen killing buried in Benue state on NAIJ.com TV