Ogun state government uncovers N200m WAEC fees fraud

Following the fraudulent diversion of about N200 million, meant to pay the examination fees of secondary school students, into personal accounts, four officials of the Ogun State government are now assisting the Police at the Police headquarters, Eleweeran, Abeokuta to explain their various roles in the fraud.

A statement from the office of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Taiwo Adeoluwa last night revealed that the diversion covered about three academic sessions.

The statement further stated that, “Four officials, two males and two females, are already in the police net and are helping the police in its investigation. Other suspects are also being investigated for their roles in the fraud.”

The government said preliminary investigation suggested that the fraud was perpetrated through inflation of the list of candidates in public schools.

According to Adeoluwa, “This is a disturbing development. Education is number one on the five-cardinal programme of our administration and that is why we are investing so much to rebuild the sector.

“Officials who think they can divert funds meant for this important sector are in for a surprise. Anybody who is implicated in this scam will be made to face the full wrath of the law.”

However, information revealed that a pastor with one of the largest pentecostal churches in the country is one of the four officials being interrogated in the state police headquarters.

A police source said, “We have made appreciable progress on the large-scale fraud and I want to tell you that we will not relent until we track the cabals within the state ministry of education as well as their private school collaborators.”