The Nigerian government has terminated civil servants holding degrees from unaccredited institutions in Benin Republic and Togo, specifically targeting those who graduated between 2017 and the present. This action follows the identification of only eight accredited colleges in these countries and an investigation into fraudulent degrees, affecting over 22,500 Nigerians. The government is committed to preserving the integrity of educational qualifications.
The Nigerian government has dismissed numerous civil servants with degrees from private institutions in Benin Republic and Togo. This measure specifically targets federal employees who graduated from these institutions between 2017 and the present. Segun Imohiosen, the Director of Information and Public Relations for the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, officially announced this development to the press on Wednesday.
The decision follows an August declaration by the Nigerian government, which identified only eight accredited colleges in Togo and Benin Republic for Nigerian students. This announcement came after a Daily Nigerian journalist’s investigation revealed that an individual obtained a degree in two months and used it to participate in the National Youth Service Corps program. Consequently, authorities in both Benin Republic and Togo halted the accreditation of tertiary education degrees.
In response to this issue, the Federal Government established an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee to scrutinize certificate fraud. Tahir Mamman, the former Minister of Education, reported that over 22,500 Nigerians had acquired fraudulent degree certificates from these two countries, which will now be invalidated. He emphasized that the government is committed to revoking these diplomas from so-called “fake” universities that tarnish Nigeria’s reputation.
Mamman noted, “Most of those parading the fake certificates didn’t even leave the shores of Nigeria but got their certificates through racketeering in collaboration with government officials at home and abroad.” He urged for the identification and dismissal of those with fraudulent credentials across government positions, while also calling upon the private sector to adopt similar practices.
Although the precise number of affected civil servants remains unclear, a directive has been issued to all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to implement this order. A confidential source revealed that dismissals were executed following the inter-ministerial committee’s recommendations. The notification from the SGF cabinet affairs requested all relevant entities to terminate employees with degrees from these institutions obtained after 2017.
Reports indicate that various agencies, including the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), have started enforcing this directive, with NYSC Director of Information, Caroline Embu, confirming that five employees were dismissed following the SGF directive.
The Nigerian government’s recent action to sack civil servants holding degrees from non-accredited institutions in Benin Republic and Togo reflects a strong stance against academic fraud. This initiative aims to uphold the integrity of educational qualifications within the civil service and restore the nation’s reputation. The involvement of an inter-ministerial committee highlights the seriousness of addressing certificate racketeering, and immediate steps are being taken to enforce compliance across federal agencies.
Original Source: newscentral.africa
