By Asaye Bankole
The Ondo State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to fighting corruption, declaring that it will not tolerate corrupt practices in any form within the public service.
The State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Kayode Ajulo, SAN, stated this on Monday in Akure while speaking at the 2026 Post-NBA General Justice Reform programme, themed “Raising the Bar.”
Ajulo described corruption as a serious societal evil that undermines development, weakens institutions and erodes public confidence in government.
He said Ondo State remained firmly opposed to corruption, stressing that the government would not regard corrupt practices as normal or acceptable.
According to him, corruption has far-reaching consequences because it deprives citizens of resources meant for essential services such as roads, schools, hospitals, security and human development.
“Corruption is not a victimless offence. It steals from the poor, weakens institutions, destroys public trust and diverts resources meant for the development of society,” he said.
The commissioner stressed that public office should be regarded as a position of trust and not an avenue for personal enrichment.
He warned that government contracts and public resources must not be manipulated for private benefit, adding that no individual, regardless of political influence, wealth or social standing, should consider himself above the law.
Ajulo said the state’s anti-corruption drive was not intended to persecute individuals but to promote accountability, transparency and the protection of public resources.
He added that the government would continue to strengthen due process, improve scrutiny of contracts, ensure proper authorisation of public expenditure, protect government assets and support lawful investigations and prosecutions whenever wrongdoing was established.
Declaring the event open, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Segun Omojuwa, said his administration remained committed to strengthening the judiciary and improving access to justice across the state.
The governor disclosed that his administration had amended the relevant law to increase the number of High Court judges in the state from 24 to 35, describing the development as the first major increase of its kind since Ondo State was created in 1976.
Aiyedatiwa also revealed that the government had facilitated the employment of 44 additional lawyers into the state’s legal service and approved an upward review of magistrates’ remuneration.
He listed the establishment of the Anti-Land Grabbing Task Force among other major interventions introduced by his administration, describing it as one of the most impactful initiatives undertaken by the government.
The governor further disclosed that the Ondo State House of Assembly, in May 2026, approved amendments to the Ondo State Law Commission Law, 2001, and the Ondo State Office of the Public Defender Law, 2024.
According to him, the amendments were designed to strengthen the administrative and institutional structures of the two agencies while improving access to justice for indigent and vulnerable residents.
Aiyedatiwa maintained that Ondo State was governed by the rule of law and not by personal interests or arbitrary decisions.
He said government institutions must operate within the framework of the law and that every citizen, regardless of status, should have confidence that justice, fairness and due process would prevail.
The governor urged law officers in the state to see themselves not merely as government employees but as custodians of justice and professional advisers to government.
He charged them to provide fearless, objective and professional legal advice while defending the legitimate interests of the state in accordance with the law, justice and the public interest.
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