Ondo State Teachers Recruitment Protest Sparks Fraud Allegations

A protest broke out in Akure on Friday as a group claiming to be newly recruited teachers stormed the Governor’s Office in Alagbaka.

Major roads around the Government House and State Secretariat were blocked, placards and chanting songs, demanding inclusion in the ongoing exercise to capture fresh teachers in the state.

The demonstrators, numbering several dozens, said they had undergone the same recruitment process as other successful applicants. They insisted they were duly employed by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM). Their action caused hours of gridlock before security operatives intervened to restore order and encouraged them to present their grievances formally.

One of the protesters alleged that they were suddenly told their appointment letters were fake, despite being recruited like every other teacher. The claim drew support from fellow demonstrators, who accused the state government of injustice and called for Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s intervention.

The Ondo State Government, however, rejected the allegations. It said the protesters were not genuine teachers but victims of fraud. According to a statement from the governor’s spokesperson, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, investigations revealed that the demonstrators had unknowingly paid scammers who issued them forged appointment letters in the name of SUBEB and TESCOM.

The government added that the scam was uncovered during biometric verification, where the affected applicants were told their documents were fake. It further confirmed that over 2,000 teachers properly recruited for primary and secondary schools have already resumed duty across the state.

Authorities disclosed that disciplinary measures had been taken against three SUBEB insiders accused of colluding with outsiders to defraud unsuspecting job seekers. The governor has also directed SUBEB to meet with the victims and set up a committee to investigate the matter further.

The development has drawn attention to recruitment racketeering in the education sector. Stakeholders, including parents and teachers’ unions, have urged the government to dig deeper into the alleged scam, stressing that such fraudulent practices not only exploit desperate applicants but also damage trust in the system.

Observers believe the scandal has put SUBEB and TESCOM under fresh scrutiny, with calls growing louder for tougher sanctions against officials linked to the fraud.