The Abia State Government has dismissed six officers of the Ministry of Justice after they were found guilty of manipulating the payroll system to collect inflated salaries.
According to the Civil Service Commission, an internal audit and administrative inquiry uncovered the fraud, which had been ongoing for some time. The affected officers were indicted for benefiting from the irregular payments at the expense of the state.
Those dismissed are:
Mr. Dickson Uche Eze – Principal Accountant
Mrs. Esther Emeruwa – Senior Accountant
Mrs. Ijeoma Jonathan – Chief Executive Officer, Accounts
Mrs. Treasure Isinguzo – Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Accounts
Mrs. Chioma Victoria Erondu – Principal Executive Officer, Accounts
Mrs. Hannah Ezinne Eze – Senior Executive Officer, General Duties
Interestingly, one officer initially investigated, Mrs. Chioma Favour Madu, was cleared of wrongdoing after she promptly reported an overpayment and ensured it was corrected.
The government has also hinted at a possible wider scandal, as the probe raised questions about the role of the Salary Committee. Governor Alex Otti has ordered a separate investigation into the Committee’s activities.
Officials say the dismissed workers will be handed over to law enforcement agencies for prosecution.
Civil Service Commission Chairman, Pst. Eno Jerry Eze, stressed that the move signals the administration’s “zero tolerance for corruption and commitment to transparency in public service.”
The government urged civil servants to remain upright and report any irregularities through confidential whistleblowing channels.
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