The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has declared that security agencies will pursue individuals with fake degree certificates in Nigeria. This announcement follows the establishment of a committee tasked with investigating degree mills in the country.
The investigative panel was set up by the Federal Ministry of Education in response to an exposé by Daily Nigerian, which uncovered the activities of degree mills in Benin Republic. The report revealed how individuals could obtain degrees within a remarkably short period and participate in the National Youth Service Corps.
The committee’s mandate includes probing private universities established in the last 15 years and evaluating degrees from Benin Republic and Togo, following the government’s ban on accreditation from these countries.
During a quarterly citizens engagement event in Abuja, Mamman assured that individuals with fake certificates would face consequences once the committee submits its report. Dr. Tanko Sununu, the Minister of State for Education, emphasized the engagement’s role in promoting transparency and accountability within the education sector.