EFCC launches civil service verification in Delta State

By Egufe Yafugborhi & Ochuko Akuopha

ASABA — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has begun a thorough verification process within the Delta State civil service, aiming to examine payroll and personnel records.

The initiative started in Asaba and was announced on Monday by the State Head of Service, Dr. Mininim Oseji, during a press briefing held to mark the 2026 Civil Service Week.

Oseji explained that the operation is part of a nationwide effort by the anti-graft agency to scrutinise nominal rolls, payroll systems and other official documents in several states.

She noted that EFCC officials had notified the state government prior to the exercise and were assigned to various offices for screening, beginning with the Office of the Head of Service.

“The anti-graft agency has legal backing to do what it is doing,” she said, adding that no complaints had been received to date.

Oseji also mentioned that she has been receiving regular updates from an officer assigned to accompany the EFCC team throughout the exercise.

In addition to the verification work, she urged civil servants to adhere to the state’s updated dress code policy and called for ongoing training of staff across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to support the civil service’s digital transformation.

She further stated that the appointment process for Permanent Secretaries in the state has remained transparent.

The EFCC verification occurs alongside an ongoing civil service audit by the Delta State Government, which seeks to clean up payroll records, eliminate ghost workers, and shift from manual to digital human resource management systems across MDAs.

The exercise also targets absentee staff, outdated nominal rolls, and cases of retirement-age violations within the state workforce.