The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, announced on Tuesday that security agencies would pursue individuals holding fake university certificates in Nigeria.
This action comes following the submission of a report by the committee established by the Federal Government to investigate the operations of university certificate racketeers in the country.
The establishment of an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling was prompted by an investigative report published by Daily Nigerian, which exposed the activities of degree mills in Benin Republic.
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The report, authored by Umar Audu, detailed how individuals could obtain degrees within a short period, leading to concerns about the authenticity of educational qualifications.
As a result of the report, the Nigerian government banned the accreditation and evaluation of degrees from Benin Republic and Togo.
Additionally, the committee was mandated to scrutinize Nigerian private universities established within the last 15 years.
Saving Point Media reports that over 107 private universities have been established in Nigeria within the past 15 years, according to reports.
The committee has been soliciting input from the public and has conducted visits to institutions in Benin Republic as part of its investigation.
During the first quarterly citizens engagement held in Abuja, Minister Mamman assured the public that individuals found with fake certificates would face repercussions, including being tracked down by security agencies.
He emphasized the government’s commitment to addressing the issue of fake degrees and ensuring the integrity of educational qualifications in the country.
Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tanko Sununu, highlighted that the engagement aimed to increase awareness of the ministry’s activities, foster mutual understanding with stakeholders, enhance transparency and accountability, and streamline government operations by identifying and addressing challenges within the education sector.
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