An Islamic human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern, has commended the Federal Government for suspending the accreditation of degrees obtained from the Republic of Benin and Republic of Togo.
The Eagle Online recalls that the suspension of the evaluation and recognition of degrees followed an investigative report.
The reporter who carried out the investigation was able to obtain a degree in one week and participate in the mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps scheme.
MURIC’s commendation to the Federal Government on its position came through a statement issued by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Wednesday.
Akintola said in the statement: “A laudable move was made yesterday by the Federal Government (FG) when it suspended the accreditation of degrees from the Republic of Benin and Togo for their irregularities and fraudulent practices (FG Suspends Accreditation Of Degree Certificates From Benin Republic, Togo, channelstv.com/2024/01/02/fg-https://x.com/channelstv/status/1742138294354260058?t=B0vsPkspjw4eWuz5Gb-i2Q&s=09)
“It will be recalled that Umar Audu, an investigative journalist of Daily Nigeria newspaper, reported recently that he bagged a degree within six weeks of being admitted into one of such universities and also served as a corper in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) with the certificate obtained. The undercover journalist received both the transcript and certificate of the Ecole Superieure de Gestion et de Technologies (ESGT), Cotonou, Benin Republic after six weeks only.
“It was this story that prompted FG to ban the accreditation of certificates obtained from universities in those countries (https://dailynigerian.com/undercover-how-daily-nigerian/).
“MURIC lauds FG for banning those fraudulent certificates. The holders of such fake credentials pose grave danger to the lives of Nigerians and the quality of public service too.
“We charge the ministries of education at both federal and state levels to be wary of holders of such certificates. Those found to have been employed with them should be shown the way out. Furthermore, the security agencies should fish out those behind the fraudulent admissions within Nigeria. Those are agents of the fake tertiary institutions in faraway Benin and Togo. They should be made to face the full wrath of the law.
“We demand investigation into circumstances surrounding the clearance letter issued by the Federal Ministry of Education which confirmed that the university (ESGT) is on the ministry’s list of accredited institutions. It was this letter which enabled NYSC to accept 51 fake graduates to serve in the scheme. On its own part, NYSC authorities must take necessary action on the 51 fake corpers from ESGT who are serving illegally. They must be flushed out.
“We also advise gullible but innocent Nigerians who have obtained the certificates to quickly set the machinery in motion to correct the anomaly. They should upgrade themselves by seeking authentic university admission either within or outside the country.
“Education may be the key to technological breakthrough and the concomitant industrial progress, but half-baked education and fake certificates are deadly dynamites in the system which are capable of destroying everything that may have been achieved.
“Before we draw the curtain, we find the undercover journalist equally worthy of encomiums. He went underground to unearth this educational fraud. He put his life on the line for the sake of his country. Umar Audu is worthy of emulation by his colleagues in the Fourth Estate of the Realm.”
