The Ondo State Government has suspended three senior officials of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) following their alleged involvement in a job scam linked to the recent teachers’ recruitment exercise.
According to Nigerian Tribune, findings revealed that the suspended officials include two directors and a deputy director, all of whom have been placed on suspension pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who gave the directive, described the situation as “regrettable and unacceptable,” emphasizing that his administration would not tolerate corruption or fraudulent practices in the state’s employment processes.
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It would be recalled that the Ondo State Government recently carried out a large-scale recruitment of teachers to address vacancies in primary and secondary schools across the 18 local government areas of the state.
Over 2,000 teachers legitimately recruited by the state have already resumed duties after successfully completing biometric verification.
However, the exercise took a controversial turn last week when some individuals protested in Akure, the state capital, claiming they were excluded from the verification process despite being issued appointment letters.
Investigations later revealed that the appointment and posting letters in possession of the protesters were forged. According to government sources, the letters were issued by some insiders within SUBEB who allegedly collaborated with external fraudsters to defraud job seekers in exchange for money.
Reacting to the development, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, clarified that the protesters were never officially employed by the state government but were victims of a scam.
“To clarify, those who protested were not employed teachers but applicants defrauded by scammers who issued fake employment and posting letters after collecting money from them. These defrauded applicants were identified during the biometric verification process and informed that their letters were fake,” Adeniyan explained.
He further confirmed that disciplinary measures had been taken against the three implicated SUBEB officials, while a committee has been constituted to conduct a thorough investigation. The governor has also directed SUBEB to meet with the victims of the fraud to address their concerns.
The incident has sparked widespread reactions among residents, parents, and civil society groups, with many calling for stricter measures to prevent similar occurrences in future government recruitment exercises.
Some victims who spoke with journalists described their ordeal as “heartbreaking,” revealing that they had sold personal belongings or borrowed money to secure the fraudulent employment offers.
Education stakeholders warned that such scandals could erode public confidence in government recruitment processes if not handled decisively.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, while reassuring the public of his administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability, vowed that all those found culpable would face the full wrath of the law.
