‘We were issued fake appointment letters’ — job seekers protest in Ondo over teachers’ recruitment

Some job seekers in Ondo state who claimed to have been recruited as teachers on Friday protested in Akure, the capital city, over their exclusion from the government’s ongoing capturing exercise.

The protesters, who stormed the governor’s office in the Alagbaka area of Akure, accused officials of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) of issuing them appointment letters that the government later described as fake.

Speaking anonymously, one of the protesters said they were shocked to be labelled as holders of “backdoor appointment letters”.

“We are affected members of the newly recruited teachers in Ondo state and we are protesting our disengagement from the capturing exercise, which we were told was a backdoor appointment letter issued to us by directors of the personnel at SUBEB and TESCOM offices,” the protester said.

Reacting to the development, Ebenezer Adeniyan, the chief press secretary (CPS) to Lucky Aiyedatiwa, governor of Ondo, said those protesting were victims of a scam.

Adeniyan said the applicants paid money to fraudsters during the recruitment process and were given fake letters.

“People should please note that those who protested are not teachers but applicants who were duped by some individuals during the recruitment process,” he said.

“They all paid money to scammers who issued them fake letters of appointment.”

He added that those legitimately recruited by the state government have been absorbed and have started working.