Fresh controversy has erupted over the academic credentials of the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, following leaked court records that reportedly reveal discrepancies between the qualification used to secure his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate and the credentials he presented during his ministerial screening.
The development has reopened public debate despite earlier assurances by the NYSC that the minister’s documents were in order.
New information now suggests that the academic details submitted to the scheme — and later tendered by the NYSC before a Federal High Court in Abuja — differ from records independently obtained from London Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.
According to the leaked court documents, the NYSC Director-General, while testifying under oath, stated that Tunji-Ojo was mobilised for national service on the basis of a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Computer Science from London Metropolitan University.
However, during his screening and confirmation by the National Assembly, the minister reportedly presented a Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the same institution.
The apparent contradiction has triggered fresh calls from civil society organisations and concerned Nigerians urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the minister to step aside pending a comprehensive and independent investigation.
The controversy follows the release of a report by a private investigative firm commissioned to verify the minister’s academic qualifications.
The firm reportedly concluded that the Bachelor of Engineering degree claimed by Tunji-Ojo from London Metropolitan University could not be authenticated.
According to the investigators, records from the university indicate that the minister was admitted into an engineering programme but did not successfully complete his first academic year.
The report added that there was no evidence he repeated the year, progressed to subsequent levels, or graduated from the programme.
“There is no confirmed graduation record, nor any recognised award date for a Bachelor of Engineering degree,” the report stated.
On the minister’s claimed Master’s degree, the investigators said admission into a postgraduate programme without a recognised undergraduate qualification would be “structurally improbable” under United Kingdom academic progression rules.
They further alleged that screenshots presented as evidence of the Master’s qualification did not conform to standard institutional formats and could not be independently verified.
The absence of official academic transcripts, the report added, further weakens claims that the minister completed either an undergraduate or postgraduate programme.
In its summary, the investigative firm stated that there was no legitimate graduation date recorded by the awarding institution and no evidence that a Bachelor of Engineering degree was conferred.
“Any certificate purporting to represent a B.Eng. degree is not authentic,” the report concluded.
The investigation reportedly examined admission records, academic progression data, graduation lists, and the authenticity of certificates and documents submitted by the minister, including a diploma supplement and materials linked to the claimed Master’s degree. Cross-checks against academic archives allegedly revealed inconsistencies in timelines, identification numbers, and award details.
The investigators said their findings were based on independent academic verification frameworks and secure information channels, some obtained anonymously but described as credible based on past investigations.
Media reports and Freedom of Information requests to London Metropolitan University were also reviewed.
As of the time of filing this report, the university had not issued an official response, though the investigators stressed that definitive clarification from the institution would be required to conclusively establish whether the degrees were completed.
The revelations have intensified public debate over the legitimacy of the minister’s academic qualifications, particularly his claimed engineering degree.
Analysts note that while personal academic history may ordinarily be private, presenting such credentials to public institutions — including the National Assembly and the NYSC — could carry serious legal and ethical implications if found to be false.
Critics warn that prolonged silence or delay in resolving the issue could further erode public confidence in the administration at home and abroad.
They insist that the unresolved discrepancies between the minister’s NYSC records which reportedly cite a BSc in Computer Science from London Metropolitan University in 2005 and his National Assembly screening documents which reference a B.Eng. in Electronics and Communication Engineering in the same year from the same institution must be urgently clarified in the interest of transparency, national image, and public trust.
'
'Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Kindly donate any amount HERE
