In a sweeping move aimed at curbing academic malpractice, the Federal Government has terminated the employment of several civil servants holding degrees from private universities in the Benin Republic and Togo. The directive affects employees who obtained their degrees from these institutions between 2017 and the present.
This decision was confirmed by Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), during a briefing on Wednesday.
The Federal Government had previously issued warnings in August, highlighting that only eight universities in Togo and the Benin Republic were authorized to issue degrees to Nigerians. This announcement followed a Daily Nigerian investigative report that revealed a journalist could acquire a degree from a Benin Republic university in just two months and subsequently participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The findings led to a crackdown on unaccredited institutions and degree mills. Consequently, the government halted the accreditation and recognition of degrees from higher institutions in the two countries, prompting an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee to probe certificate racketeering.
According to former Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, investigations revealed that over 22,500 Nigerians had obtained fraudulent degrees from Togo and the Benin Republic. These certificates were often acquired without students ever setting foot in these countries, facilitated by a network of racketeers and corrupt officials both locally and internationally.
Mamman emphasized that this action was not a punitive measure but a necessary step to safeguard the country’s reputation and maintain the integrity of its workforce. “The fake universities exploited the desperation of Nigerians seeking quick fixes for academic qualifications,” Mamman stated.
He added that the Federal Government would not only revoke the fraudulent degrees but also ensure those employed in the public sector with such credentials are identified and dismissed. Private sector organizations were also urged to take similar actions against employees with dubious certificates.
Following the recommendations of the investigative committee, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation issued a memo to all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). This memo instructed MDAs to identify and terminate employees hired based on degrees from these private universities.
An anonymous government source confirmed that the directive stemmed from the committee’s findings, adding, “The SGF Cabinet Affairs has directed all MDAs to implement the recommendations and terminate affected workers.”
Implementation of the directive is already underway in some organizations. The NYSC, for example, has reported dismissing five employees as part of the crackdown. Caroline Embu, NYSC Director of Information, stated, “Five members of staff were affected by the directive contained in the letter from the office of the SGF. No more.”
This development underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing fraudulent academic practices and ensuring the credibility of Nigeria’s workforce. It also serves as a warning to individuals and institutions perpetuating academic fraud that such actions will not go unpunished.
The government’s decision reflects a broader effort to restore trust in the education system and ensure that degrees obtained by Nigerians at home and abroad meet acceptable standards.
