In a desperate plea, over 650 Nigerian students studying at the ESM University in Benin Republic have appealed to President Bola Tinubu for assistance, following the Federal Government’s derecognition of the institution’s certificates.
The students and their parents marched peacefully to express their concerns, as they face an uncertain future due to the government’s crackdown on fake degree certificates.
The issue came to the forefront when the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, revealed that a staggering 21,600 students in Nigeria are currently parading fake certificates obtained from degree mill institutions in Benin Republic, Togo, and other neighboring countries.
Mamman disclosed that 1,105 students alone are holding fake certificates from universities in Togo, a situation that has prompted the Federal Government to take decisive action.
In March, the government set up an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling to probe the activities of these certificate racketeers. This followed an investigative report published by Daily Nigerian, which exposed the thriving business of fake degree mills in Benin Republic.
“The Federal Government has directed the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) to issue a circular to flush out anybody with fake certificates from these institutions,” Mamman stated during a ministerial press briefing in Abuja.
The Minister clarified that in Togo, there are only three universities officially approved and licensed to offer degree courses, while in Benin Republic, there are five institutions licensed for degree programs.
The crackdown on fake certificates has left the ESM University students in a precarious position, as they plead with the President to show leniency and find a resolution to their dilemma.
“We are not the ones who created this problem, but we are the ones bearing the brunt,” said one of the students, expressing their desperation.
The students argue that they had enrolled in the ESM University in good faith, unaware of the institution’s questionable status. They now face the prospect of having their hard-earned degrees rendered worthless, jeopardizing their academic and professional aspirations.
The Federal Government’s stance is clear – any degree certificate obtained from an unlicensed institution will be deemed fake and will not be recognized. This is part of a broader effort to maintain the integrity of the country’s educational system and ensure that employers can trust the qualifications of job applicants.
As the students await a response from the President, the situation highlights the urgent need for tighter regulations and closer collaboration between Nigeria and its neighboring countries to curb the proliferation of fake degree certificates. The well-being of thousands of students hangs in the balance, and the government’s decision will have far-reaching consequences on their futures.
