The Abia State Government has sacked six officials of the Ministry of Justice after investigations revealed their involvement in a payroll manipulation scheme that led to fraudulent salary payments.
The Chairman of the Abia State Civil Service Commission, Eno Eze, confirmed the dismissals in a statement on Thursday, stressing that the affected officers were found guilty of deliberately inflating their wages to the detriment of the state.
“The investigation established that these officers knowingly benefitted from irregular salary payments. This administration has zero tolerance for corruption in the civil service, and we will not hesitate to sanction anyone found culpable,” Eze said.
He explained that the disciplinary action followed a rigorous audit of financial records, as well as interrogations carried out by the Commission.
While six officers were dismissed, another staff member, Mrs. Chioma Favour Madu, was cleared of wrongdoing after it was discovered that she had promptly reported her overpayment and taken steps to rectify the error.
The Commission also raised concerns about the possible involvement of members of the Salary Committee in the fraud.
According to Eze, Governor Alex Otti has directed that the committee’s activities be subjected to a separate probe to ensure accountability.
“The governor has instructed that those indicted will face prosecution by the appropriate law enforcement agencies. Civil servants are also encouraged to report suspected irregularities through confidential channels,” he added.
The development comes just days after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission declared a former commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters in the state, Christopher Enweremadu, wanted for alleged diversion of public funds and money laundering.
