This announcement was made by Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, during a media parley in Abuja. The event was part of the 2024 Civil Service Week celebrations, themed "Education an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive Lifelong, Quality, and Relevant Learning in Africa."

Dr. Yemi-Esan highlighted that through rigorous physical verification conducted by various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), the federal civil service workforce has been significantly reduced from over 100,000 to 69,308 verified employees.

In addition to identifying ghost workers with fake employment letters, the verification exercise also uncovered cases of civil servants who had relocated overseas for better opportunities. Some of these individuals attempted to return to Nigeria for the verification process after it had concluded, claiming unawareness of the schedule. They were given a grace period of two weeks to complete the verification, but many chose to resign instead, unable to secure additional leave from their employers abroad.

Dr. Yemi-Esan also addressed the persistent issue of corruption within the public service. She emphasized ongoing collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to eliminate corrupt practices and ensure transparency and accountability within the system.

The government's efforts to root out fraud and streamline the civil service reflect a commitment to integrity and efficiency, aiming to build a more transparent and effective public sector. This move not only reinforces the credibility of the civil service but also ensures that resources are allocated to genuine employees who contribute to the nation's development.