The House of Representatives has approved a 10-year security protection plan for investigative journalist Umar Audu, following his exposé on certificate racketeering involving degree mills in the Benin Republic.
Audu’s undercover investigation revealed a network facilitating the sale of fake university certificates to Nigerians, many of which were fraudulently cleared by government agencies, including the Ministry of Education.
Correspondent reports that the joint House Committees on University, Polytechnic, Interior, Foreign Affairs, and Youth Development are currently investigating the scandal.
Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Abubakar Fulata, announced the directive and urged the Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to provide Audu with protection over the next decade.
“We are grateful to Audu for his courage. We urge the Minister of Interior to ensure that the Civil Defence provides the required support alongside the police,” Fulata stated.
While testifying before the committee, Audu explained how he secured a university degree from the Benin Republic without attending classes and had it verified by the Ministry of Education for a ₦40,000 fee.
Responding to the revelations, Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, called for the creation of an automated centralised system for educational verification to curb future fraud.
“Such an error did not occur under this administration. However, a unified, automated portal is essential to curb this menace,” he noted, while apologising to Nigerians for the failures.
Minister of Education, Mr Olatunji Alausa, was represented by Mrs Larai Ahmed, a Director in the ministry. Alausa confirmed that the department responsible for clearing Audu’s certificate had been restructured and stricter safeguards introduced.
NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu also appeared before the committee and disclosed that the corps had begun using biometric verification for certificates submitted by prospective corps members.
“We deeply regret the anomaly and are collaborating with relevant agencies. Our verification system is now stronger, and we have initiated reforms to prevent any recurrence,” Nafiu said.
The House committee reiterated its commitment to concluding a comprehensive investigation and enforcing reforms to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s education and public service institutions.
(NAN)
