A senior accountant with the Oyo State Hospital Management Board, Wahab Olabanji, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for defrauding job seekers through a recruitment scam that promised non-existent government employment in exchange for money.
Olabanji, a Grade Level 14 officer who served as the Chief Executive Officer (Accounts), was found guilty on 30 counts related to corruption, obtaining money under false pretences, and illegal conversion of funds. The judgment was delivered on Friday, August 1, 2025, after a lengthy 17-month trial that exposed how the official exploited desperate applicants looking for civil service positions.
According to a statement released on Tuesday by Justice Eni Esan (retd.), Chairperson of the Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency (OYACA), Olabanji collected various sums of money from individuals who had applied for job placements during the most recent recruitment exercises conducted by the Hospital Management Board and the Teaching Service Commission. The victims, lured by the hope of securing government jobs, trusted Olabanji due to his official status and credible appearance.
The court sentenced him to six months imprisonment for each of the 30 charges, with an option to pay ₦50,000 in place of each jail term. In addition to the prison sentence and fines, the court ordered Olabanji to refund all the money he had fraudulently received from the victims within a three-month period. The restitution is aimed at addressing the financial harm and emotional distress suffered by those he deceived.
Justice Esan emphasized that the conviction demonstrates OYACA’s unwavering commitment to upholding transparency and accountability within Oyo State’s public service. She reaffirmed that the agency maintains a zero-tolerance policy for corruption, and that no government official, regardless of rank, will be shielded from prosecution if found engaging in fraudulent acts.
This case sheds light on the growing concern of recruitment fraud in Nigeria’s public sector, especially in a climate where high unemployment has made job seekers increasingly vulnerable to exploitation. The conviction of Olabanji is expected to serve as a warning to other civil servants who may be tempted to abuse their positions of trust.