Nigerian investigative journalist, Umar Audu, has voiced concerns about his safety after recently publishing an investigative report that exposed a university certificate forgery syndicate in Togo and Benin Republic, News About Nigeria reports.
Audu, a journalist with the Daily Nigeria newspaper, had reported that he obtained a degree within six weeks from one of the universities involved in the scam and even served as a corps member in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) with the obtained certificate.
During an interview with Channels Television, Audu expressed worry about the security system in Nigeria, stating that journalists lack confidence in carrying out their jobs without fear of victimisation.
Though he has not received direct threats, he emphasised the need for journalists to work without intimidation, calling on authorities to ensure his protection.
Audu shared the challenges he faced during the investigation, including spending approximately N600,000 to acquire the fake certificate.
He clarified that he did not physically go to the border but paid an immigration officer to facilitate obtaining an ECOWAS passport with a backdated stamp from Nigerian Immigration and Benin, for which he spent N150,000.
While he acknowledged being in a safe place currently, Audu pointed out the uncertainty about potential threats in the future.
He urged the government to remain vigilant and promised to reach out for protection promptly if any threats arose.
“I want to use this platform to call on the authorities to ensure my protection, even though I am currently in a safe place. However, I am uncertain about what might happen next, as I have been giving interviews and my report has gone viral without any threats so far.
“I hope the government remains vigilant and if there are any threats, I will promptly reach out to them to ensure I receive the necessary protection.”
