Nigerian civil servants who fraudulently received salaries after relocating must refund money — Tinubu

President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Nigerian civil servants who fraudulently received their salaries while relocated abroad to refund the money they collected.

Speaking at the 2024 Civil Service Week Gala and Award Night in Abuja on Saturday, President Tinubu said it is "heartening" that measures have been taken to address the issue of civil servants drawing salaries without formally resigning after relocating overseas.

However, he stressed that those responsible must be held accountable.

"The culprits must be made to refund the money they have fraudulently collected. Their supervisors and department heads must also be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud under their watch," Tinubu said in his keynote address at the event.

The president added that the Nigerian Civil Service "cannot just be a workplace where 'anything is possible,' where workers violate rules without the fear of punishment or repercussion."

Tinubu's comments came after the Head of Service revealed during the Civil Service Week activities that measures were being taken to curb the practice of civil servants receiving salaries abroad after relocating without formally resigning from their posts.

"It is heartening to hear that measures have been taken to address this issue, but we must ensure those responsible are held accountable and restitution is made," Tinubu stated.

The president stressed the importance of accountability and integrity in the civil service, describing it as the "bedrock" and "engine" of government.