By MOHAMMED DANBABA
KANO, Nigeria — The Kano State Government has uncovered massive irregularities in its payroll system, revealing cases of double salary payments, duplicate Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), and ghost workers across various sectors.
This disclosure has triggered public concern about accountability and transparency within the state’s civil service operations.
Kano Government Uncovers Payroll Fraud Involving Double Payments and Duplicate BVNs
The Secretary to the Kano State Government (SSG), Umar Faruq Ibrahim, made the revelation during a joint press briefing in Kano, accompanied by the Chairman of the Standing Payroll Committee, Auwal Sanda, and the Chairman of the Local Government Standing Committee, Umaru Idi.
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Ibrahim, who also serves as Chairman of the State Coordinating Committee on Payroll, explained that thorough verification exercises had exposed serious anomalies.
According to him, 240 workers were found to be receiving double salary payments, while another 217 employees were flagged for sharing identical BVNs—a red flag for potential fraud.
“People having the same BVN is highly unusual. Those involved will be invited for interrogation,” Ibrahim emphasized.
He described the situation as deeply disturbing and warned that severe sanctions would be applied to anyone found guilty of violating civil service regulations.
Over 2,000 Civil Servants Salaries Suspended for Skipping Verification
As part of the efforts to clean up the system, the Kano government uncovered payroll fraud where more than 2,000 civil servants who failed to participate in a mandatory verification exercise had their salaries suspended.
Auwal Sanda, Chairman of the Standing Payroll Committee, provided a detailed breakdown:
- 1,335 workers from state ministries and agencies failed to attend the verification process and had their salaries stopped since September 2024.
- 679 local government workers also failed to show up and have not been paid since November 2024.
Sanda added that the state flagged these individuals by placing a “Do Not Pay” note beside their names to halt any unauthorized salary disbursements.
“We have made every effort to encourage these workers to come forward, but many ignored repeated appeals,” Sanda said.
He stressed that money stopped flowing into the affected accounts once the red flags were raised.
Kano Government Uncovers Ghost Workers in Local Government Payrolls
In addition to double payments and duplicated BVNs, the Kano government uncovered payroll fraud at the local government level, where ghost workers were discovered.
Umaru Idi, Chairman of the Local Government Standing Committee, revealed that a review of the March 2025 salary payment vouchers led to the identification of 247 ghost workers.
Upon investigation:
- Only eight individuals appeared before the verification committee and were confirmed as legitimate employees.
- The remaining 239 individuals were deleted from the payroll, leading to monthly savings of approximately ₦27.8 million for the state government.
“If calculated over two months, the savings reach about ₦55 million, funds that have now been returned to the joint account of the Kano State and its local governments,” Idi explained.
He credited the success of the exercise to a rigorous local government verification process where vouchers were sent to councils for thorough cross-checking.
Sanctions Loom for Perpetrators of Payroll Fraud
The Secretary to the State Government, Umar Faruq Ibrahim, warned that those responsible for the irregularities would face disciplinary measures.
“We are committed to transparency and accountability. Anyone caught flouting the rules will be brought to book. Payroll fraud is a serious offense, and we will invoke relevant sanctions where necessary,” he vowed.
He reiterated that the ongoing payroll verification exercise is part of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s commitment to reform public service administration and ensure that public funds are used efficiently.
Conclusion: Kano Government’s Commitment to Payroll Reform
The recent developments demonstrate that the Kano government’s uncovering of payroll fraud is a critical step toward sanitizing the state’s civil service system. By addressing the issues of double salary payments, ghost workers, and duplicated BVNs, the administration aims to foster a culture of accountability and save public resources for development projects.
As the verification continues, the government has reassured genuine workers of its support while promising that wrongdoers will not escape justice.
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