House to Investigate MDA Involvement in Alleged Certificate Racketeering

By Iyojo Ameh

The House of Representatives has announced plans to launch an investigation into officials of Federal Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) implicated in an alleged certificate racketeering scheme involving Nigerian students.

Following the adoption of a motion on Wednesday, moved by Abubakar Fulata, the member representing Birniwa/Guri/Kiri-Kasamma Federal Constituency of Jigawa State, the House resolved to probe the involvement of certain officials in facilitating fraudulent acquisition of academic credentials by Nigerian students.

The motion was prompted by a case reported in December 2022, where a Nigerian individual, Umar Audu, purportedly obtained a degree from a university in Cotonou, Benin Republic, within a remarkably short period of six weeks.

Audu’s subsequent participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme raised suspicions, leading to allegations against unnamed officials from the Ministry of Education.

During the debate on the motion, Fulata emphasized the necessity of identifying both the implicated officials from MDAs and the students who benefited from such irregularities within the past decade.

The move comes amidst growing concerns over the integrity of academic qualifications in Nigeria and aims to root out corruption within the education sector.

The House of Representatives seeks to restore public trust and uphold the credibility of educational institutions through thorough investigation and accountability measures.