Civil servants in Ondo State have been cautioned against taking part in job racketeering, as anyone caught collaborating with criminals to extort job seekers will face severe punishment.
The Head of Service (HoS), Bayo Philip, gave this warning on Tuesday during a media briefing at the Cocoa Conference Hall in Akure, Ondo State capital. The briefing focused on preparations for the upcoming Public Service Week in the state.
Mr. Philip revealed that every individual found guilty in the recruitment of teachers by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) had already been disciplined according to civil service regulations.
He explained that investigations into employment racketeering uncovered that some fraudsters had opened fake consultancy offices, pretending to be working for the state government. These individuals allegedly collected money from unsuspecting applicants under the guise of offering legitimate employment.
He said, “Job racketeering is offensive. We had some stunning revelations during the investigation into the job racketeering that happened during SUBEB recruitment of teachers. Some people opened consultancy offices criminally recruiting on behalf of the state government. Somebody collected about N3 million from some unsuspecting applicants and thereafter looked for government officials to connive with to secure employments for their victims.”
Mr. Philip further warned that any civil servant involved in such illegal activities would be dismissed immediately. “But I want to state that any civil servant that gets involved in such criminal act would be fired. Some people have been relieved of their jobs over the job racketeering at SUBEB. We will not gloss over that kind of crime. We will visit the full weight of our sanctions on them. The system does not tolerate this,” he added.
The Head of Service also commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for his commitment to workers’ welfare and transparent employment policies. He noted that the governor had ensured timely promotion and recruitment across all sectors of the state service.
According to him, “In 2025, 3,089 mainstream officers were promoted, while 1,832 were promoted in the teaching sector (Primary and Secondary) while all the parastatals of government have followed suit.”
Mr. Philip disclosed that close to 3,000 new officers had been employed in the mainstream service in 2025, adding that workers who were due for promotion had received their letters.
He also outlined the activities for the 2025 Public Service Week. On Wednesday, civil servants will participate in a health walk starting from Adegbemile Cultural Centre at 7:00 a.m., proceeding through Adesida Road to the Township Stadium. A novelty football match between the Mainstream Service and Local Government teams will follow immediately.
On Thursday, a Public Service Lecture and Interactive Session will take place at The DOME, featuring former Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries who will share experiences aimed at strengthening civil service operations.
The 16th HoS said it was vital to tap into the experience of retired senior officers to sustain the civil service structure. On Friday, there will be a Jumat Service at the Government House Mosque, while on Sunday, workers will gather at the Government House Chapel for a Thanksgiving Service.
