Forgery: UNICAL Reacts as NYSC Invalidates Certificates of 101 Graduates, “We’ll Punish Them”

Forgery: UNICAL Reacts as NYSC Invalidates Certificates of 101 Graduates, “We’ll Punish Them”

  • NYSC, on Monday, withdrew and invalidated the certificates of national service issued to 101 graduates from the University of Calabar (UNICAL)
  • In a new twist, the UNICAL Pro-Chancellor has indicated that some officials of the institutions are reportedly behind the NYSC certificate forgery
  • In a terse statement issued to the press on Tuesday, he vowed to expose the perpetrators, describing them as criminals and not UNICAL students

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements

The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the 14th Governing Council of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), DIG Udom Ekpoudom (retd), has alleged that some school officials are behind the massive certificate fraud revealed by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

NYSC massive certificate forgery: UNICAL Pro Chancellor makes stunning revelation
UNICAL Pro Chancellor reacts as NYSC invalidates certificates of 101 persons over fraudulent mobilization. Photo credit: University of Calabar, National Youth Service Corps
Source: Facebook

Ekpoudom: "Officials behind UNICAL certificates forgeries"

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Ekpoudom said that investigations had commenced to uncover the perpetrators.

As reported by Daily Trust on Tuesday, August 13, he frowned at the discovery and vowed that any officials found culpable would be seriously dealt with.

Recall that on Monday, NYSC invalidated the certificates of 101 individuals who were reportedly fraudulently mobilised for national service by UNICAL during the 2021, 2022, and 2023 service years.

Eddy Megwa, the spokesperson of NYSC, disclosed the development in a statement on Monday, August 12, saying UNICAL fraudulently mobilised the affected persons.

NYSC then urged stakeholders and employers to verify graduate certificates of the scheme at its headquarters before granting them jobs.

The scheme described its action as a major crackdown on certificate fraud and a step towards ensuring the integrity of the national service programme.

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UNICAL certificate forgeries: "They are criminals, not students," Ekpoudom

Reacting to the development, Ekpoudom on Tuesday, said:

“The NYSC has done very well to have uncovered this forgery. This is just the first phase. The next phase is for us to find out those behind this saga.
“I can confirm that the people are not students of UNICAL. These guys are criminals.”

UNICAL first female SUG president appoint 50 aides

In another development, Legit.ng reported that the first female President of the Student Union Government, UNICAL, Blessing Alims, is in the news for appointing 50 aides.

Alims, a student of Peace Studies and Conflict Resolutions at the Department of Political Science, was elected SUG President on June 14, 2024.

She appointed 50 individuals for advisory roles in her administration because a tree cannot make a forest.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Esther Odili avatar

Esther Odili (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Esther Odili is a journalist and a Politics/Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng with 6+ years of experience. She Holds OND and HND in Mass Communication from the Nigerian Institue of Journalism (NIJ), where she was recognized as the best student in print journalism in 2018. Before joining Legit.ng, Esther has worked with other reputable media houses, such as the New Telegraph newspaper and Galaxy Television. In 2024, Esther obtained a certificate in advanced digital reporting from the Google News Initiative. Email: esther.odili@corp.legit.ng.