Oyo State Issues Warning Over Pensioner Extortion Scheme

The Oyo State Government has raised concerns over alleged extortion of retirees by individuals falsely presenting themselves as government officials to facilitate gratuity payments.

In a statement released on Friday, the State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, alerted the public to the activities of a “cartel” operating within the system, which preys on pensioners by demanding a percentage of their entitlements.

According to Oyelade, these individuals illegally charge retired civil and public servants between five and ten percent of their gratuity to “fast-track” payments. He described the practice as a longstanding malpractice, tracing its existence back to previous administrations.

The Commissioner emphasized that the current government, under Governor Seyi Makinde, has streamlined the pension payment process and increased transparency. He noted that monthly gratuity releases have been raised by 200 percent, from ₦1 billion to ₦3 billion, allowing over 800 retirees to benefit monthly compared to about 250 in prior years.

Oyelade assured that authorities are actively investigating to identify and apprehend those involved. He stressed that no unofficial payments are required for the processing of pensions or gratuities and urged retirees to follow only the official monthly disbursement procedure.

The government has advised pensioners to report any solicitations for payment to the appropriate authorities and to disregard any unauthorized requests for fees related to their entitlements.