Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu led federal Government has disclosed that over 22,700 Nigerians have obtained fake degree certificates from universities in Benin Republic and Togo.
Tahir Mamman, the Minister of Education, made this revelation during a press conference in Abuja on Friday, marking his first year in office.
According to Mamman, between 2019 and 2023, approximately 22,789 fake degree certificates were issued to Nigerians, with 21,684 coming from institutions in Benin Republic and 1,105 from Togo.
This follows the findings of a committee set up by the government in January 2024 to investigate private universities established over the past 15 years and instances of degree certificate racketeering by both foreign and local institutions.
The committee, led by Jibrin Amin, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, submitted its report to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in July, recommending significant reforms.
Mamman emphasized that the Ministry of Education had taken major steps to address the issue, including disciplining implicated staff members and conducting a review of the entire unit.
He stressed that the government would not allow individuals with fake certificates to compete with students who earned their degrees through genuine hard work.
Mamman stated, “We have taken major steps within the ministry of education.
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“Some staff members implicated in this were disciplined, and the entire unit underwent a review. We cannot allow individuals with fake certificates to compete with students who earned their degrees through genuine hard work,” he added.
He also noted that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) data had played a crucial role in uncovering these cases.
The revelation follows an investigative report from late 2023, which exposed a certificate racketeering syndicate operating in Benin Republic and Togo. The investigation revealed how agents in Nigeria collaborated with illegal university campuses in Cotonou to sell backdated degree certificates.
A reporter involved in the investigation successfully obtained a fake university degree within six weeks and used it to participate in the NYSC scheme undetected.
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