The Abia State Government has dismissed six senior officers of the Ministry of Justice after investigators uncovered their role in a salary padding scheme.
According to the Civil Service Commission, the officers manipulated payroll systems to collect excess salaries, diverting state funds for personal gain.
The dismissed officials include a Principal Accountant, Senior Accountant, Chief Executive Officer (Accounts), Assistant Chief Executive Officer (Accounts), Principal Executive Officer, and a Senior Executive Officer.
Commission Chairman, Pastor Eno Jerry Eze, confirmed the decision in a statement on Thursday.
He explained that the disciplinary action followed a detailed internal audit and inquiry that reviewed payroll records and interrogated the accused staff.
Investigators found they “knowingly benefitted from irregular salary payments to the detriment of the state.”
Eze revealed that one officer, Mrs. Chioma Favour Madu, was cleared of wrongdoing after she promptly reported an overpayment and moved to correct it.
The Commission praised her integrity and urged other civil servants to emulate such conduct.
The statement also raised concerns about possible involvement of members of the state Salary Committee.
Governor Alex Otti has directed that the committee’s activities be subjected to a separate probe to ensure accountability.
The dismissed officers will be handed over to law enforcement agencies for prosecution.
Eze stressed that the government’s action underlined its “zero tolerance for corruption in the public service.”
He encouraged workers to report any suspicious financial practices through confidential channels, assuring them of protection.
The development is one of the strongest anti-corruption moves under Governor Otti’s administration, which has repeatedly promised to block revenue leakages and enforce discipline in the state’s civil service.
With salaries already consuming a significant portion of state funds, the government insists that every fraudulent practice in the payroll system will be uncovered and punished.
Abia residents have praised the decision, describing it as a step toward restoring integrity in public service and protecting taxpayers’ money.