A group of individuals claiming to be newly recruited teachers by the Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) staged a protest in Akure, the state capital, over their exclusion from an ongoing biometric data-capturing exercise. The teachers, who stormed the Governor’s office at Alagbaka-Akure, expressed fears that their employment might be nullified despite having received appointment letters. They demanded immediate intervention from the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and their inclusion in the data capture process.

However, the state government clarified that while the biometric exercise is intended to finalize the recruitment process for genuinely appointed teachers, many of the protesting individuals were victims of a recruitment scam. Idowu Ajanaku, the state Commissioner for Information, confirmed that reports indicated some individuals did not follow due process in their recruitment and were brandishing fake appointment letters. He assured that all legitimately recruited persons would be captured, emphasizing the government's commitment to prevent fraudulent entries into the system. Similarly, Ebenezer Adeniyan, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, stated that the protesters were not genuine teachers but applicants who had been duped by scammers, having paid money to receive fake letters of appointment. He affirmed that those genuinely recruited had already been absorbed and commenced work.

Mr. Ajanaku further elaborated on the government's future plans for teacher recruitment, stating that the state is in the process of hiring more qualified teachers, particularly targeting science educators. He highlighted that this marks the first time the state government is actively hiring teachers, as past administrations had not done so. He urged the protesting individuals to remain calm, assuring that the exercise would be transparent and only those who legitimately qualified would be processed.

The controversy surrounding the recruitment process is not new, as the state's anti-graft agency has been investigating allegations of racketeering and candidates paying significant sums for employment months prior. Officials from SUBEB and TESCOM were previously invited for interrogation regarding these allegations. While investigations are reportedly ongoing, the anti-graft agency has yet to release any conclusive results. Mr. Ajanaku confirmed that the state government is awaiting a comprehensive report from the commission before taking any further action on the scandal.