Lagos Assembly Summons Commissioner and University VC Amid Certificate Racketeering Scandal
The Lagos State House of Assembly has taken action following a report by SaharaReporters on certificate racketeering at Lagos State University (LASU). The Assembly has invited Tolani Akibu, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, and Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, the Vice-Chancellor of LASU, among others, to respond to the allegations.
According to SaharaReporters, a sting operation conducted in 2020-2021 exposed a certificate racketeering syndicate at LASU. The operation, led by the school management and the Department of State Services (DSS), included the use of body cameras and other tools to gather evidence. Some members of the syndicate were arrested and admitted to their involvement in the illegal activities.
Sources within the DSS revealed that the syndicate had access to genuine LASU certificates, which they sold for prices ranging from N2 million to N3 million, depending on the complexity of the course. The syndicate required potential buyers to provide money and their O-level certificates, after which the members would determine the suitable course and input the necessary information into the university’s server. This allowed the buyers to access the university’s system and appear as authentic students.
Reacting to the situation, the Lagos State House of Assembly considered the report as a matter of urgent public importance. The Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, who is an alumnus of LASU, expressed concern about the potential damage to the reputation of the institution. Consequently, the Assembly invited the school’s Senate and workers from its Information and Communications Technology unit to address the issue.
During the sting operation, authorities made separate payments to Daniel Amos and Akindele Qudus Tunde for obtaining two fraudulent degrees in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management. Amos charged N2 million for one degree, while Qudus charged N3 million for the other. The operation successfully uploaded fake profiles and results onto the university’s server, leading to the arrest of those involved.
LASU swiftly denied allegations of a cover-up. The university acknowledged the discovery of admission racketeering in 2020 and collaborated with a private agent to investigate the matter. They also reported the incident to the Department of State Security for further investigation. According to LASU, the investigation is ongoing and the university is fully cooperating with law enforcement agencies.
In summary, the Lagos State House of Assembly has summoned the Commissioner for Tertiary Education and the Vice-Chancellor of LASU, among others, to address the certificate racketeering scandal. A sting operation conducted in collaboration with the DSS exposed the syndicate’s activities, leading to the arrest of some individuals. LASU has denied any cover-up and stated its commitment to ongoing investigations into the matter.
