…30 Fake Certificates Traced To Suspects
Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, has uncovered a certificate racketeering syndicate allegedly involving staff and students of the institution, leading to the suspension of five employees and arrest of four suspected students.
The Rector, Dr. Salisu Ogbo, announced this on Friday during a press briefing in Lokoja, saying the syndicate was busted following intelligence reports and a routine verification exercise by the institution’s admission, ICT and security units.
According to him, at least 30 forged National Diploma (ND) certificates linked to the institution have so far been detected and were reportedly sold to unsuspecting buyers seeking Higher National Diploma (HND) admission.
“Only recently, the management uncovered a syndicate involving some students, non-students and a few dishonest staff members who manipulated academic records in clear disregard for due process and institutional values,” Ogbo said.
“The suspects forged ND results in the name of Kogi State Polytechnic and had the audacity to apply for HND admission here using those forged documents.”
He disclosed that the suspects allegedly connived with result processors to fraudulently upgrade results for individuals who had multiple carryovers but failed to sit for examinations — falsely presenting them as graduates of the school.
“These individuals compromised our security arrangements and tampered with the security features on our statements of result.
“This criminal act is an assault on the credibility and reputation of our institution, and it will not go unpunished,” the rector added.
Ogbo assured that the management remained committed to sanitising the system and defending the integrity of academic records issued by the polytechnic.
“We will not relent in exposing and eliminating all forms of misconduct capable of denting the hard-earned reputation of Kogi State Polytechnic,” he vowed.
He noted that the arrested suspects were already in police custody and undergoing further interrogation while internal disciplinary procedures had commenced against indicted staff.
The rector urged stakeholders and members of the public to remain confident in the institution’s anti-corruption measures, adding that the investigation would be thorough and all culprits prosecuted.
Cases of certificate forgery and manipulation of academic records have continued to plague Nigerian tertiary institutions, with authorities under pressure to tighten verification processes and uphold academic standards.
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