The Osun State Ministry of Education has reportedly suspended a teacher working in Osun East Education District Office, Ile-Ife, Abimbola Olowokere, for allegedly collecting money from some newly recruited teachers to influence their posting.
Olowokere was alleged to have collected money from not less than five teachers and posted them to their preferred schools.
A source in the state Ministry of Education, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that Olowokere’s antics were eventually discovered when it was announced that there were no new postings to schools after a meeting the permanent secretary of the ministry had with the Osun East Tutor General.
The Information Officer of the ministry, Rose Olawuni, when contacted for more clarification on Tuesday, said after the announcement, a teacher came out to claim that she had been given a new posting.
She further explained that more investigation into the matter, however, exposed the teacher involved, adding that Olowokere had allegedly been using District Office old letterheads to post teachers to their preferred schools after the payment of N30,000 per person.
Olawuni said, “A meeting was held between the Permanent Secretary and Tutor General (Osun East Education Office) and they announced that there were no new postings for teachers and told people to be vigilant.
“Fortunately, one of the teachers, who was defrauded heard the announcement. And some people came out that postings were done recently and they were asked to forward letters of the posting which they did.
“It was after the letter had been forwarded to the official that we discovered that it is more than one person that was given posting. Five persons had been given posting letters already. The investigation is still ongoing because the victims may be more than five.
“The culprit, Abimbola Olowokere, collected N30,000 from each person for the posting. A panel was instituted and he appeared before the panel on Monday, and he has been suspended for now.”
