FEDERAL HIGH COURT ORDERS THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE TO PROVIDE DETAILS OF 80,115 GHOST OFFICERS FOUND IN POLICE FORMATIONS AND COMMAND

November 19, 2019
Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) a Nigerian Knowledge Institution had written a Freedom of Information request to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) which letter was received by the office of the IGP on April 3rd, 2018.

The letter requested information on the details of the list of 80,115 ghost officers discovered in Police Formations and Command through the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). The Honourable Minister of Finance disclosed during the presentation of the updated report on the implementation of the IPPIS to the Federal Executive Council on Wednesday March 21, 2018 that 80,115 ghost Police officers were on the payroll of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

CSJ through the said letter requested for the details of the “ghost officers”. However, the office of the IGP did not make the said information available and did not give reasons for its inability to grant the request. CSJ subsequently approached the Federal High Court in Abuja in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/493/2018 for the following reliefs:

(a) A DECLARATION that denying the Applicant access to the details of the list of 80,115 ghost officers recently discovered in the Police Formations and Command through the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) without explanation constitutes an infringement of the Applicant’s right guaranteed and protected by section 1 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011.

(b) A DECLARATION that the continued refusal of the Respondent to grant to the Applicant access to the details of the list of 80,115 ghost officers recently discovered in the Police Formations and Command through the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) despite Applicant’s demand violates Section 4 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.

(c) A DECLARATION that the continued refusal of the Respondent to grant access to the Applicant of the details of the list of 80,115 ghost officers recently discovered in the Police Formations and Command through the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) without explanation constitutes an infringement of the Applicant’s right guaranteed and protected by Section 48 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007.

(d) AN ORDER OF MANDAMUS compelling the Respondent to grant to the Applicant access to the list of 80,115 ghost officers recently discovered in the Police Formations and Command through the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) specifically for the following information:
i. The names and contact addresses of the “ghost officers”
ii. Their ranks
iii. Their bank account numbers
iv. Their bank verification numbers
v. Their monthly salaries and emoluments
vi. The total money paid to each and every one of them
(e) AN ORDER compelling the Respondent to pay to the Applicant the Sum of N500, 000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) as damages for denying the Applicant access to information.
AND for such further orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance of this case.
On the 22nd of October, 2019 the Federal High Court delivered judgement as follows:
1. That in the absence of any defence by the Respondent, Reliefs A-E are hereby granted as prayed.

2. That denying the Applicant access to the details of the list of 80,115 ghost officers recently discovered in the Police Formations and Command through the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) without explanation constitutes an infringement of the Applicant’s right guaranteed and protected by Section 1 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011.

3. That the continued refusal of the Respondent to grant to the Applicant access to the details of the list of 80,115 ghost officers recently discovered in the Police Formations and Command through the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) despite Applicant’s demand violates Section 4 of the Freedom of Information Act 2011.

4. That the continued refusal of the Respondent to grant access to the Applicant of the details of the list of 80,115 ghost officers recently discovered in the Police Formations and Command through the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) without explanation constitutes an infringement of the Applicant’s right guaranteed and protected by Section 48 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007.

5. That an Order of Mandamus is hereby made compelling the Respondent to grant to the Applicant access to the list of 80,115 ghost officers recently discovered in the Police Formations and Command through the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) specifically to wit:

i. The names and contact addresses of the “ghost officers”
ii. The ranks
iii. Their bank account numbers
iv. Their bank verification numbers
v. Their monthly salaries and emoluments
vi. The total money paid to each and every one of them

6. That an Order is hereby made compelling the Respondent to pay to the Applicant the Sum of 500, 000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) as damages for denying the Applicant access to information.

Eze Onyekpere Esq.
Lead Director

FOR THE ORDER OF COURT, CLICK TO DOWNLOAD:
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