The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has expressed its approval of the Nigerian government’s decision to suspend the accreditation of degrees obtained from the Republic of Benin and Togo.
In a statement issued by Prof. Ishaq Akintola, Executive Director of MURIC, the organization commended the government’s actions with regards to the irregularities and fraudulent practices surrounding degree accreditation from the two neighboring countries.
The commendation comes in the wake of an investigative report by Umar Audu, a journalist from the Daily Nigerian newspaper, who revealed how he obtained a degree within six weeks of enrollment in one of the universities in question, subsequently using the certificate during his service in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
MURIC hailed the government’s decision to suspend the accreditation of these fraudulent certificates, emphasizing the potential dangers that holders of such fake credentials pose to the nation and public service. The organization urged both federal and state ministries of education to be vigilant and called for the immediate dismissal of individuals found to be employed with such forged certificates. Additionally, they called upon security agencies to identify and prosecute those involved in facilitating fraudulent admissions within Nigeria.
The statement also demanded an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the clearance letter issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, which enabled the acceptance of 51 fake graduates from a particular university in the NYSC scheme. MURIC stressed the importance of weeding out these fake corpers and advised innocent individuals who have obtained such certificates to take corrective measures and pursue authentic education opportunities.
Furthermore, MURIC highlighted the critical role of education in national development while cautioning against the detrimental impact of substandard education and counterfeit certificates on the country’s progress. The organization concluded by acknowledging the journalist, Umar Audu, for his courage in uncovering the educational fraud, encouraging others in the media to emulate his commitment to upholding the truth.
In closing, MURIC’s statement serves as both an endorsement of the government’s actions and a call for institutional and individual accountability in upholding the integrity of educational qualifications.
