The Federal Government has taken decisive action by suspending the evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from the neighbouring Benin Republic and Togo countries.
This move comes in response to an investigative report published by an online newspaper, exposing a Cotonou-based university that issued a degree certificate to an undercover journalist within a remarkably short period of six weeks.
In a statement released on Tuesday by Augustina Obilor-Duru on behalf of the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, the government expressed concern over the exploitation of unscrupulous methods by some Nigerians to obtain degrees with the primary goal of securing job opportunities for which they are not qualified.
The suspension will remain in effect pending the outcome of a comprehensive investigation involving the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Education of Nigeria and the concerned authorities in Benin Republic and Togo. The Department of State Security Services (DSS) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) will also actively participate in the inquiry.
The Ministry called upon the general public to support its efforts, urging understanding and providing useful information that can assist the committee in finding lasting solutions to prevent such occurrences.
The statement emphasised the Ministry's condemnation of such deceptive practices and outlined the suspension's effective date as January 2, 2024. The government is committed to addressing the issue of degree mills. It has initiated internal administrative processes to determine the involvement of its staff, with applicable Public Service Rules to be applied.
The Ministry recognized the global challenge of degree mills and illegal institutions and highlighted its ongoing efforts to combat these issues. Periodic warnings have been issued to the public, and reports have been submitted to security agencies to take action against perpetrators. The Ministry pledged to continually review its strategy, processes, and procedures to eliminate loopholes and deal decisively with complicit officials.
