The Ondo State Government has warned that it will no longer tolerate acts of blackmail, cyberbullying or coordinated attacks against Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa and senior state officials.
The government’s position was contained in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Guidance, Mr Idowu Ajanaku, who said that a group of people, including “two certain legal professionals”, had launched a “disturbing and coordinated campaign of misinformation” targeting the governor and his team.
According to Ajanaku, the campaign was being orchestrated by those “whose only grievance arises from their failed attempts to secure political appointments, contracts and financial gains” from the current administration.
“When their selfish demands were firmly rejected, in line with our unwavering commitment to transparency and accountability, they resorted to despicable acts of blackmail and defamation,” he said.
The commissioner alleged that the group recently demanded N200 million, claiming it was for “activism in support of the governor and his so-called factional organisation”.
“Investigations have revealed that this entity is unregistered, fraudulent and lacks legal or operational legitimacy,” Ajanaku said. “Following the government’s refusal to succumb to this extortion, they launched a barrage of coordinated attacks on social media against the Governor and the Honorable Attorney General of Ondo State with ridiculous and baseless allegations.”
He described the group’s actions as “calculated attempts to destabilize and discredit” the Aiyedatiwa administration, insisting that their motives were not rooted in patriotism or the public interest.
“Governor Aiyedatiwa welcomes constructive criticism and recognizes the importance of the opposition in a healthy democracy,” Ajanaku said. “However, it will not tolerate blackmailers posing as activists.”
He said the government remains committed to transparency and people-centered leadership, and emphasized that “no blackmail or propaganda will be able to deter” its mission to foster development and uphold the rule of law.
The commissioner warned that those behind the alleged cyberattacks would face the full weight of the law.
“We issue an unequivocal warning: those who believe they can use social media harassment and blackmail to intimidate public officials will face swift legal and public repercussions,” he said. “We are fully prepared to invoke all legal and constitutional measures to hold these individuals accountable.”
Ajanaku added that the government would not allow “a handful of desperate individuals” to tarnish the image of the State for selfish gains.
“Ondo State belongs to all of us and we will not stand by while a few people try to destroy the reputation of our state and its institutions. Enough is enough,” he said.
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