In the aftermath of an undercover Nigerian journalist’s revelation of obtaining a degree in under two months from a university in Benin Republic and enrolling in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) twice, the Federal Government has imposed a ban on validating certificates from Benin and Togo. The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Benin Republic has appealed for leniency, citing the presence of approximately 15,000 Nigerian students in the country.
The journalist’s report prompted the government to ban the validation of degree certificates from both countries. Ugochukwu Favour, the NANS president in Benin Republic, urged the government to consider legitimately admitted students. He emphasized that punishing everyone for the actions of a few would be unfair to the large number of students in Benin Republic.
Favour called for intensified government efforts to investigate and punish those involved in the certificate racketeering saga. He disclosed that NANS in Benin Republic had formed a committee to probe the matter, expressing confidence in the report’s findings to prevent future occurrences.
The NANS president’s comments came after the Federal Government announced its intention to pursue individuals with fake degree certificates. Education Minister Tahir Mamman declared that such individuals are part of a criminal chain and should be arrested. He emphasized the determination to trace individuals associated with fraudulent institutions, regardless of the timeframe.
While the initial ban affected the accreditation and evaluation of degree certificates from Benin Republic and Togo, the minister announced plans to extend the measures to other African countries, including Uganda, Kenya, and Niger, where similar institutions have been established.