A month of inspections across Saudi Arabia’s public sector has resulted in the detention of more than a hundred government employees, after investigators widened inquiries into suspected bribery and the improper use of authority.
According to a report by Okaz, the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, known as Nazaha, placed 116 individuals under arrest following multiple investigations carried out in December 2025. The cases span a range of state institutions, with those questioned coming from ministries and agencies responsible for internal security, municipal services and housing, education, and healthcare.
Nazaha said the arrests followed the questioning of 466 people as part of a nationwide campaign focused on corruption-related offenses. The authority noted that some of those taken into custody were later released on bail, in line with the Kingdom’s criminal procedures law, while legal processes continue against others ahead of referral to the courts.
In a statement, the authority said the inquiries center on allegations involving bribery and the exploitation of official positions. It added that procedural steps are still being finalized to prepare the cases for judicial review.
Nazaha reported that its teams conducted 1,440 inspection visits during the same period, describing the effort as part of its ongoing regulatory and criminal mandate to safeguard public funds and enforce accountability within government institutions.
