Following the increased rate of certificate forgery in Nigeria, the Federal Government announced on Tuesday, through the Federal Ministry of Education, the suspension of accreditation of degree certificates from Benin Republic and Togo.
In the statement signed by Augustina Obilor-Duru on behalf of the Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, the FG explained that the suspension was because many Nigerians now get their certificates illegally because they want to get jobs.
The statement partly reads, “Some Nigerians deploy nefarious means and unconscionable methods to get a degree with the end objective of getting graduate job opportunities for which they are not qualified.”
News About Nigeria gathered that the suspension came after an investigative report by the Daily Nigerian Newspaper titled “How Daily Nigerian reporter bagged Cotonou varsity degree in 6 weeks.”
The Federal Government stated in the statement that the suspension of accreditation of certificates from the countries takes immediate effect on January 2, 2024 (today).
It was further stated that investigations that would involve the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and the two countries, the Department of State Security Services (DSS) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), would still be properly carried out to ascertain the extent to which the suspension would last.
While lamenting the impact of forging certificates, the Federal Government decried the fact that those who forged would use the fake certificates to get jobs and other opportunities they did not merit.
The FG and the Ministry of Education therefore charged the general public to support and partner with them in the best way they can; they can put an end to the menace without it affecting Nigerians who truly graduated from institutions in the countries.
