Hausa BBC News BrowserSassa Buhari has appointed the dead to lead his government officials

The government of President Muhammad Buhari issued the names of the men who appointed them leadership at some government departments.

Unfortunately, only the names of some dead Nigerians were named among the targeted ones.

The government has appointed 209 members and over 1,250 members to lead the authorities.

But Garba Shehu, who was the president of the state, has defended the government from alleged failure.

He told the BBC that the list was set up more than two years ago.

He said, "Since October 2016, the names were written, but it was set up to criticize some governors."

No one has ever reviewed the list before it was published on Friday.

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The government spokesperson did not know why the action would be taken against those who released the names.

"There is no reason to take action against a public official because of this mistake," he said.

Among the names is the name of Francis Okpozo who died in December 2016, but his name was in complexity.

He was appointed president of Nigeria Press Council.

Without him, Donald Ugbaja, a former deputy general of the Nigerian Police Command, who died earlier this year, was appointed to lead the Consumer Protection Council.

There are also late Rabran Christopher Utov, whose name is listed on the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research.

Garba Shehu said the names of the deceased persons of other eligible citizens would be changed.