Abia Govt to Probe Salary Committee Members Over Suspected Complicity in Salary Padding
The Abia State Government has sacked six civil servants over confirmed salary padding and ordered a probe of the Salary Committee for suspected complicity, as Governor Otti moves to ensure accountability in the state’s workforce.
The Abia State Government has announced plans to probe some members of the state’s Salary Committee suspected of involvement in salary padding. This follows the dismissal of six civil servants from the Ministry of Justice over confirmed participation in the fraudulent scheme.
The affected civil servants, sacked after a detailed investigation by the Abia State Civil Service Commission, are:
- Mr. Dickson Uche Eze, Principal Accountant
- Mrs. Esther Emeruwa, Senior Accountant
- Mrs. Ijeoma Jonathan, Chief Executive Officer
- Mrs. Treasure Isinguzo, Assistant Chief Executive Officer
- Mrs. Chioma Victoria Erondu, Principal Executive Officer
- Mrs. Hannah Ezinne Eze, Senior Executive Officer
Their dismissal was contained in a statement signed by Eno Jerry Eze, Chairman of the Abia State Civil Service Commission. The Commission said the decision followed evidence of their confirmed involvement in salary padding within the state’s workforce.
The statement also disclosed that further investigations revealed possible complicity by some members of the Salary Committee. Governor Alex Otti has directed that the committee’s activities be subjected to a separate probe to ensure transparency and accountability.
“Additionally, the investigation raised serious concerns about the possible complicity of some members of the Salary Committee in the fraudulent scheme. The Governor has directed that the activities of the Committee be subjected to a separate probe to ensure full accountability.”
A civil servant who spoke on condition of anonymity said that if the probe deepens, more workers may be affected. While admitting that there are “bad eggs” in the system, the civil servant urged the government to ensure innocent workers are not punished unfairly.
Earlier in 2025, the Abia State Head of Service, Benson Ojeikere, had warned civil servants against corrupt practices, stressing that anyone caught would face strict disciplinary measures.
The latest development signals the government’s resolve to tackle payroll fraud and restore credibility in the state’s civil service.
