Some blacklisted universities in the Benin Republic have allegedly found new ways to smuggle their graduates into Nigeria’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) with the help of certain private polytechnics.
Findings by Saturday PUNCH revealed that these foreign schools now obtain fake Higher National Diploma (HND) or National Diploma (ND) certificates for their graduates through collaboration with Nigerian polytechnics. The polytechnics, mainly in the South-West and South-East, then use those certificates to mobilise the students for the NYSC.
It was also discovered that each affected student pays about ₦400,000 to get the fake HND certificate.
The move comes despite the Federal Government’s 2024 decision to suspend accreditation and recognition of certificates from over 45 universities in the Republic of Benin and Togo due to widespread fraud.
Education experts have described the development as a serious threat to Nigeria’s education system and a clear case of corruption that must be urgently investigated.
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