₦13.7bn Payroll Fraud Claim Pits Audit Firm Against Osun Government

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke

₦13.7bn Payroll Fraud Claim Pits Audit Firm Against Osun Government

An audit firm, Salivot Consulting Limited, has alleged a massive ₦13.7 billion annual payroll fraud involving thousands of ghost workers and pensioners in Osun State, triggering widespread public outrage and calls for transparency.

The allegation was disclosed by the firm’s Chief Executive Officer, Sadat Bakrin-Ottun, during an appearance on Politics Tonight on Channels Television. According to her, a 12-month forensic audit allegedly revealed that Osun State is losing about ₦13.7bn yearly to non-existent employees, unverifiable pensioners, and manipulated payroll records under the administration of Ademola Adeleke.

The audit reportedly identified 8,452 workers and 5,831 pensioners who allegedly failed to appear for physical and biometric verification. Bakrin-Ottun claimed the exercise exposed systemic payroll abuse across ministries, departments, and agencies, warning that the irregularities could not be dismissed as clerical errors. Among the most controversial findings, she alleged that one bank account linked to a single Bank Verification Number (BVN) received 962 salaries monthly, while another account was credited with 5,615 monthly salaries, pointing to deliberate payroll manipulation. She insisted the audit relied on biometric data, BVN analytics, and bank reconciliation records to validate these claims.

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The Osun State Government has strongly rejected the ₦13.7bn payroll fraud allegation, accusing Salivot Consulting Limited of professional misconduct, data exaggeration, and misrepresentation. State officials claimed that only 1,316 workers remain unverified, adding that several individuals flagged by the firm are legitimate employees, whom the government declined to remove from the payroll “in good conscience.” Officials also insisted that payroll reforms have reduced the state’s monthly wage bill by about ₦1 billion, dismissing the fraud claim as misleading and politically motivated.

Bakrin-Ottun, however, dismissed the government’s rebuttal, maintaining that the audit was thorough, transparent, and evidence-driven. She alleged that while Governor Adeleke initially supported the exercise, implementation stalled after the audit report was submitted in July 2024. She claimed relations broke down after she demanded accountability for the allegedly siphoned funds, leading to tensions with senior officials, including the Chief of Staff.

The firm’s legal counsel, J.T.O. Uwazuruike, said the dispute has now escalated beyond unpaid consultancy fees. Salivot Consulting plans to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate those allegedly responsible for diverting billions of naira from the state treasury. While the government has yet to specifically address claims of multiple salary payments into single accounts, labour unions, civil society groups, and residents continue to demand a forensic, independent probe to verify the state payroll system.