Nigerian Government Dismisses Civil Servants Holding Fraudulent Degrees

The Nigerian government has dismissed civil servants with degrees from private universities in Benin Republic and Togo, effective from 2017 presentees. This action follows an investigation highlighting fraudulent degree acquisition. The government has initiated measures to combat degree fraud, with over 22,500 diplomas estimated to be invalidated, demonstrating a commitment to academic integrity and national reputation.

The Nigerian government has recently terminated the employment of civil servants holding degrees from private universities in Benin Republic and Togo. This directive affects federal employees who graduated from these institutions from 2017 onward. Segun Imohiosen, the Director of Information and Public Relations at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, confirmed this significant development to journalists on Wednesday.

In August, the government clarified that only eight institutions in Togo and Benin Republic are accredited to grant degrees to Nigerian students. This announcement followed an investigation revealing that a journalist obtained a degree from a Benin Republic university in merely two months, which he subsequently used to enroll in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program. Consequent to this finding, both Benin Republic and Togo have restricted the accreditation and validation of tertiary degrees.

To address degree certificate fraud, the Federal Government has initiated an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling. The then-Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, reported that over 22,500 Nigerians acquired fraudulent degrees from these countries, declaring that such qualifications would be nullified. Mamman emphasized that the government remains steadfast in its decision to revoke credentials issued by what he termed “fake” universities.

Mamman articulated the damaging effects of these fraudulent certificates on Nigeria’s reputation, stating that many individuals presented fake degrees without ever leaving Nigeria, implicating international and local collusion in the fraud. He warned that these universities exploited unsuspecting students’ eagerness and reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing this issue in the civil service, urging the private sector to do likewise.

While the precise number of terminated civil servants remains unclear, the Office of the Secretary to the Government has dispatched a communication to all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies instructing them to implement this order. An anonymous source indicated that affected employees were dismissed based on the inter-ministerial committee’s recommendations. The directive mandates the identification and removal of workers who possess degrees from the two nations obtained from 2017 onward.

Reports reveal that various agencies, including the NYSC, have begun enforcing the terminations as instructed. NYSC Director of Information, Caroline Embu, confirmed to the media that five staff members were dismissed under the SGF’s directive, reflecting immediate compliance with the order.

The Nigerian government’s actions to terminate employees with questionable degrees from Benin Republic and Togo highlight the seriousness with which it addresses educational fraud. The establishment of a committee to investigate certificate racketeering reflects a commitment to uphold academic integrity and protect Nigeria’s reputation internationally. With over 22,500 fraudulent degrees at stake, the government’s firm stance against such practices aims to deter future occurrences and restore public trust in educational qualifications.

Original Source: newscentral.africa