By Henry Agbu, Lafia

A journalist with the Taraba State Television (TTV), Hassan Garba, has returned an excess salary payment after his September 2026 salary was mistakenly credited to his account twice.

Garba said the first payment was credited to his account on Friday, September 25, while a second payment was received on Sunday, September 27.

Upon discovering the duplicate payment, the journalist said he reported the matter on Monday, September 28, to the ICT Unit of the Taraba State Ministry of Finance, where he informed officials that his salary had been paid twice and expressed his readiness to refund the excess amount.

He was subsequently provided with the Taraba State Government’s salary account details and proceeded to the bank, where he deposited the excess payment.

Garba later returned the deposit teller to the Ministry of Finance and was issued an official receipt confirming the refund.

He said the refund process took some time as ministry officials were attending to several people with different complaints. However, he remained determined to complete the process and return the money.

Explaining his decision, Garba said the excess payment did not belong to him and should therefore not be regarded as personal income.

He acknowledged the economic difficulties confronting many Nigerians but maintained that such challenges should not be used as justification for keeping public funds received in error.

According to him, public funds should be handled with honesty, accountability and transparency, irrespective of the amount involved.

Garba said his decision to return the money was not motivated by the desire for recognition or praise, but by his personal conviction to do what was right.

«“Integrity is doing the right thing even when nobody is watching.”»

The incident highlights the importance of individual responsibility and accountability in the management of public resources, showing that safeguarding public funds extends beyond government institutions and officials to every individual who handles them.