Tinubu orders probe as abroad-based ex-Nigerian civil servants still receive pay

A recent discovery in Nigeria has revealed that some former civil servants continue to receive their salaries despite no longer working for the government, with some even residing abroad. President Bola Tinubu has ordered a crackdown on this fraud, insisting that the culprits must be made to refund the money they have fraudulently collected.

One such case involves a man who has been reportedly receiving a monthly salary of 150,000 naira despite leaving his government job in Nigeria two years ago to work as a taxi driver in the UK. According to the BBC, the man, identified as Adams (not his real name), isn't worried about losing this salary, viewing the president’s directive as an empty threat. When I heard about the president's directive, I smiled because I know I am doing better here - and not worried, the 36-year-old is quoted as having said.

This issue highlights a broader problem known as japa—a phenomenon where young Nigerians seek better opportunities abroad due to economic difficulties at home. President Tinubu has expressed concern over the situation, saying he was struck by the revelations the head of the civil service shared regarding employees who had relocated abroad while drawing salaries without formally resigning. He emphasised the need for those responsible, including complicit supervisors, to be held accountable: Their supervisors and department heads must also be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud under their watch.

Adams admitted that he continued to be paid thanks to those in his department: “I had a good understanding with my boss and he just let me leave. He explained that his boss, a relative, facilitated his continued salary.

Auwal Yakasai, a retired finance director in Kano state's information ministry, acknowledged hearing of such cases: To be honest I have never caught anyone red-handed, but I have heard numerous stories of such arrangements, where someone would still be receiving [a] salary after relocating or changing their place of work,” he told the BBC

Despite efforts to reduce government waste, such as cutting official travel expenses, critics argue that Tinubu’s administration has yet to take significant action. They point to recent expenditures, like the purchase of new planes and the construction of a new residence for the vice-president, as contradictory to his pledges.

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