The management of Osun State University (Uniosun) has strongly rejected recent claims by consultant Sally Tibbot Limited alleging a N13.7 billion payroll fraud involving the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Clement Adebooye, and 249 staff members.
The report, which has drawn widespread public attention, accused the university of paying salaries to non-existent or “ghost workers” over several years.
The Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the consulting firm, Sa’adat Bakrin-Ottun, had stated in the report that the state government was allegedly disbursing salaries totaling N13,716,914,129.28 annually to workers who were not officially on the university payroll.
According to the consultant, the report suggested that in some instances, a single individual received payments intended for as many as 5,615 staff members, a claim which the university has firmly denied.
In response to these allegations, the Osun State Government immediately rejected the report and petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the consultant’s findings.
Government officials expressed concern over the accuracy and methodology of the report, highlighting that such claims could undermine the credibility of state institutions and cause unnecessary panic among staff and students.
Speaking with journalists on Saturday, Prof. Adebooye described the allegations as “false, misleading, and damaging to the reputation of the university.”
He emphasized that all personnel on the university’s payroll are verifiable and duly employed.
“The report mischaracterizes legitimate employees as ghost workers, which is both inaccurate and deeply concerning,” the Vice-Chancellor stated.
He further elaborated that during a statewide personnel verification exercise conducted in May and June 2023, the consultant submitted a report which, to the university’s shock, labeled 250 legitimate staff—including the Vice-Chancellor and 249 others—as ghost workers.
“This classification was particularly troubling and psychologically disturbing,” Prof. Adebooye noted, “because the individuals physically appeared, presented valid credentials, and complied fully with the verification process.”
The Vice-Chancellor raised questions about the consultant’s professionalism, noting that certain sections of the report posed serious regulatory, ethical, and professional challenges.
He stressed that the report’s methodology, personnel audit techniques, and conclusions were deeply flawed and did not reflect the reality of the university’s staffing situation.
Prof. Adebooye also provided context on the verification exercise itself, highlighting logistical and staffing challenges.
He explained that as of August 2023, the university had 1,017 staff members scheduled for verification in a single day—Friday, August 18— alongside numerous employees from other state parastatals.
According to him, the consultant’s personnel were grossly inadequate and ill-equipped to handle the scope of the verification process, resulting in errors and misclassifications.
The Vice-Chancellor shared a detailed breakdown of the university workforce, stating that Uniosun employs a total of 1,463 staff members, comprising 628 academic staff, 466 non-teaching staff, 235 support staff, and 134 corps members.
This data, he said, clearly contradicts the consultant’s claims of ghost workers and highlights the university’s commitment to transparency and accountability in staff management.
In a strong response to the allegations, Prof. Adebooye threatened legal action against Sally Tibbot Limited and demanded a public apology for the false claims.
“The university will not tolerate attacks on its integrity and reputation,” he said, underscoring the institution’s intention to hold the consultant accountable for the misleading report.
The leadership of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (SSANU) at Uniosun also condemned the report. Comrade John Adebayo, the association’s chairman, recalled his previous criticism of the personnel audit process.
He described the consultant’s claims as “baseless and damaging,” emphasizing that the verification exercise had been compromised by inadequate planning and poorly trained personnel rather than any fraud on the part of university staff.
Analysts and education experts have also weighed in on the controversy, noting that reports of payroll fraud are increasingly common but often result from poor auditing processes rather than actual misappropriation of funds.
Many pointed out that large-scale verification exercises, particularly when conducted by external consultants with insufficient staff, are prone to error.
The unfolding situation has sparked discussions on the need for robust auditing systems and proper verification processes in tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
While the consultant’s report attracted media attention, the university remains committed to full transparency and has invited regulatory bodies to conduct independent reviews to confirm the authenticity of its payroll.
With the matter now under investigation by the ICPC, Osun State University continues to assure staff, students, and the public that there is no evidence of payroll fraud within its system.
The Vice-Chancellor reiterated the university’s dedication to maintaining integrity and professionalism in all administrative and financial matters.
The controversy surrounding the alleged payroll fraud serves as a reminder of the importance of accuracy, professionalism, and accountability in auditing practices.
For Uniosun, the priority remains clear: protecting the reputation of its staff, ensuring transparency in payroll management, and maintaining the trust of the public and the state government.
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