Oyo Alerts Pensioners of Gratuity Extortion Cartel
Oyo Alerts Pensioners of Gratuity Extortion Cartel
The Oyo State Government has issued a serious warning to pensioners regarding a criminal cartel operating within the civil service.
This group is reportedly extorting retirees by posing as government officials and demanding between 5% and 10% of their gratuity payments under the guise of fast-tracking the processing of their benefits.
The Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, revealed that the government is currently narrowing down on these individuals to put an end to the illegal practice.
He noted that this “gratuity-for-cash” scheme is a long-standing issue that has persisted across multiple administrations, affecting both state and local government retirees.
Despite the ongoing threats from these fraudsters, the state government emphasized that it has significantly improved the transparency and efficiency of pension disbursements.
Under Governor Seyi Makinde, the monthly allocation for gratuities has been increased by 200%, rising from ₦1 billion to ₦3 billion to ensure more retirees are paid promptly.
Official data shows that the number of monthly beneficiaries has grown from roughly 250 in previous years to over 800 under the current administration.
The commissioner highlighted that the government remains committed to clearing arrears that had accumulated for years prior to the current governor taking office.
Pensioners are strongly advised to remain cautious and avoid making any unofficial payments to individuals claiming they can speed up the process.
The government reiterated that no “back-door” payments are required to receive entitlements and urged retirees to report any suspicious demands to the appropriate authorities.
