The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) apprehended about 95 graduates with fake certificates from Nigeria and foreign universities and handed them over to security agencies during the last orientation exercise.

The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, disclosed this at the 2019 Batch ‘C’ pre-mobilisation workshop, held in Niger State. He said 65 out of the arrested graduates were from universities in Nigeria while 30 others were from other West African universities.

“Regarding fraudulent certificates, we have arrested 65 fake students from universities in Nigeria and from other West African universities, we have arrested about 30. We have handed them over to the police for prosecution,” he said.

The NYSC boss revealed that some tertiary institutions in Nigeria still engage in the sale of Degree and HND certificates and statements of result to unqualified persons in a bid to smuggle them into NYSC mobilisation.

“It is worrisome to note that some unscrupulous persons still indulge in the sale of Degree and HND Certificates and Statements of Result to unqualified persons. It has also been observed that names of unqualified persons are included in the Senate/Academic Board -approved list uploaded on the NYSC registration portal by some corps-producing institutions.

“It is quite unfortunate that some corps-producing institutions are still in the habit of uploading part-time and over-aged graduates for mobilisation. This is one of the challenges we are out to tackle headlong, this attempt in some quarters to threaten the credibility of the process.

“Acts such as presentation of fake academic credentials and attempts to smuggle names of unqualified persons into the mobilisation lists submitted by some corps-producing institutions are condemnable and will continue to face stiff resistance from the scheme.

“It is known fact that one can only print out data inputted into the computer, hence the claim of ignorance of how strange names entered a Senate/Academic Board-approved list is unfounded. Where such infraction occurs, it is certain that the login details of the Students’ Affairs Officers or the Registrar have been compromised.

“I wish to use this medium to remind Registrars and SAOs that they are responsible for the protection of their login details and will be held accountable for any infraction in the performance of their duties relating to the mobilization process,” he said.

Source: www.today.ng