Former vice presidential aide, Daniel Bwala, has praised the journalist who went undercover and exposed the fake degree certificates issued by some universities in the Benin Republic.
Bwala said the journalist should be given the award of Man of the Year by all media houses for saving Nigeria from the menace of certificate fraud.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Bwala said the journalist’s investigation had led to a major government policy decision to blacklist some of the universities in the Benin Republic and to verify the credentials of all Nigerians who obtained their degrees from that country.
He said the journalist had also helped the Minister of Education to score a serious pass mark in the performance index assessment.
Bwala urged President Bola Tinubu to personally invite the journalist and honor him for his courage and professionalism.
He said the next stage was to weed out the so-called graduates from all employment and services they were contracted to, adding that it would shock Nigerians to know where they were and what positions they occupied.
The journalist, whose identity has not been revealed for security reasons, had infiltrated some of the universities in the Benin Republic and exposed how they sold fake certificates and transcripts to Nigerian students for as low as N3,000 (about US$7.32). He also revealed how sexual harassment was rampant in the institutions and how some of the lecturers were not qualified to teach.
The investigation has sparked outrage and condemnation from Nigerians and prompted the government to take swift action.
The National Universities Commission and the National Youth Service Corps have since announced measures to clamp down on the fake degree holders and to ensure the quality and integrity of the Nigerian education system.
The statement read, “That journalist that went undercover and exposed fake degree certs by a Benin Republic University which caused a major government policy decision should be given award as Man of the Year by all Media houses. He just saved Nigeria.
“He has also helped the minister of Education to score a serious pass mark in the performance index assessment
“@officialABAT should personally invite him and shake his hands to congratulate him and honor him.
“The next stage is to weed out the so-called graduates from all employment and services they are contracted to; and boy oh boy, it will shock you to know where they are and what positions they occupy at the moment.”
