The Federal Government has suspended the accreditation and evaluation of degree certificates from Benin Republic and Togo.
"The recent findings in this report reinforce suspicions that certain individuals in Nigeria are resorting to unscrupulous means to obtain degrees with the sole intention of securing graduate job opportunities for which they lack qualification," stated Augustina Obilor-Duru, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, in a statement on Tuesday.
"As a strong response, the Federal Ministry of Education is vehemently condemning such actions and, effective from January 2, 2024, is halting the evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from Benin and Togo Republics. This suspension remains in place pending the outcome of a comprehensive investigation involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, the education ministries of the two countries, the Department of State Security Services (DSSS), and the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC)."
The ministry is urging Nigerians to contribute information to aid the committee in finding lasting solutions to prevent similar incidents in the future.
"The FME has been grappling with this issue, including the existence of illegal institutions both abroad and at home, taking advantage of unsuspecting Nigerians. Additionally, some desperate individuals deliberately seek out such establishments," added the statement.
"The Ministry and NUC have periodically issued warnings against patronizing such institutions, and in some cases, reports have been forwarded to security agencies to crack down on the perpetrators. The ministry remains committed to reviewing its strategy to close any loopholes, enhance processes and procedures, and take decisive action against any complicit officials."
