The concerning increase in certificate racketeering among government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) has prompted the House of Representatives to launch an inquiry.
The seriousness of the matter was shown when Abubakar Fulata, the head of the joint committee on certificate racketeering, launched the investigation during a recent plenary session.
The investigation was initiated due to the identification of a Benin Republic-based certificate racketeering network that purports to offer academic degrees to Nigerian purchasers.
An undercover journalist graduated from a Cotonou institution with a four-year degree in just six weeks, according to a startling claim.
The journalist then successfully enrolled in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program, raising concerns about the scheme’s vulnerability to fraudulent qualifications.
The investigation has uncovered potential collusion between Nigerian racketeering agents and senior officials at the university in Cotonou.
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This partnership has facilitated the seamless purchase and use of fake certificates in Nigeria, prompting calls for a comprehensive review of the education sector, especially the validation process for foreign university degrees.
Abubakar Fulata expressed concerns that unchecked certificate fraud could severely impact the integrity of professional sectors, particularly healthcare, endangering public safety and economic stability.
To address this critical issue, the House has tasked its committees on university education, interior-foreign affairs, and youth development with investigating. They aim to unearth the extent of racketeering and propose viable solutions to eradicate this menace.
He said, “This has been a burning issue in both public and private institutions. There are seemingly less observance of rules, regulations, processes, and quality assurance.
“There is a need to identify officials of MDAs and students who benefitted from such institutions and their campuses in the last ten years.”
