My Foreign Degree Certificate Not Fraudulently Obtained, Youth Commissioner Says

Taraba State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development Hon Joseph Joshua has said his academic qualifications acquired from ESGT University, Benin Republic (Cotonou) was not fraudulently obtained.

Speaking with Taraba Truth and Fact Newspaper Hon Joseph Joshua said although his lawyers would respond to the allegations regarding his BSC qualification from ESGT University, Benin Republic, it's wrong to say his certificate was fraudulent because of a story.

"Have seen the petition and my lawyer is informed about it.

"But my respond is simple, my qualifications is not fraudulent, it is authenticated by the federal ministry of education, that a journalist finds out something fraudulent does not mean all the certificate are fraudulent," Hon Joseph Joshua said.

A petitioner, Sulaiman Adamu Scatter of Jalingo local government area  had asked  security agencies to investigate the certificate - bachelor of science (BSc) in Information Technology with Second Class (Upper Decision) of ESGT University, Benin Republic (Cotonou) obtained by Joseph Joshua in 2021 as his highest qualification and submitted to the Taraba State House of Assembly during his screening and confirmation of his nomination as Commissioner from 

Takum local government area.

According to the petitioner, there was never a time that the Commissioner left Nigeria to Benin Republic for the purpose of studies, emphasising that the agencies should use their respected offices to thoroughly investigate the Commissioner with a view of finding the number of times he visited Benin Republic for the purpose of studies, the years he covered and his international passport evidencing his frequent visits to the country during the period he claimed he obtained the said certificate.

The petition followed a report published by an online medium, which exposed the ease with which a reporter acquired a degree from an African university within six weeks, subsequently participating in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

This prompted the Federal Government to suspend the evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from Benin Republic and Togo.

However, a group Taraba Youths Movement has described the petition as an attempt to embarrass the Commissioner.

Leader of the group Aminu Shuaib Baba said those behind the petition are interested in pulling down the Youth Commissioner for selfish reasons.

"The pull him down syndrome is what is playing out here, we have many civil servants and politicians across Nigeria that schooled in Benin Republic, Lome, UK and the rest. 

"That one case of forgery is being exposed about an institution doesn't mean other students of the institution are not genuine. We have seen cases of fake certificates in Nigerian Universities but that does not invalidate certificates of other students of the institution.

"The Federal government has launched a probe into the story exposed by the journalist, security agencies should carry out it's investigations to establish the truth but it's wrong when the petition is targeted at bringing someone down because of selfish interests, those behind the petition are not sincere.

"As a youth organization, we will not allow any young person who's rising to be intimidated or harassed in Taraba State under any disguise," Baba said.