An unnamed staffer with the Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board has been arrested for allegedly stealing N104m from the coffer of the board.
Twenty-four other civil servants in the state were also apprehended for alleged involvement in various corrupt practices.
The suspects were taken to the Wesco Police Station, Akure, on Thursday.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Undie Adie, confirmed the arrest of the suspects. He said they had been transferred to the command headquarters for a thorough investigation.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Special Duties, Dr Doyin Odebowale, also confirmed the arrest. He added that the suspects were caught as a result of the reform carried out by the state’s Head of Service, Mr Alex Aragbaye.
He stated that the suspects were arrested on the directives of the governor.
READ ALSO: Man on bail for defrauding pastor and policeman steals baby’s placenta in Lagos
Adebowale added that the suspended civil servants would be prosecuted.
He said that they were caught due to reforms carried out by the Head of Service, Mr Alex Aragbaye.
He said,
“We are here because of certain suspects the governor directed that we should prosecute. In the civil service, there has been this stealing going on undetected. They do it in several ways, especially through the staff list.
“We have people that imputed fictitious figures into the payroll. When the new head of service got into office, he put in place certain reforms to make us know those in the service.
“We discovered that certain elements, whose names appeared on the workers’ list, were never employed. A particular man employed his wife and placed her on level 14. She never attended the interview and she has been collecting salary.
“One of them moved N104 million out of SUBEB account. We have other instances of other millions of naira moved. These are pure stealing. They have been suspended. They will be prosecuted and made to face disciplinary action.”
