In a groundbreaking undercover investigation, journalist Umar Audu has unveiled a clandestine world of counterfeit academic certificates and expedited academic qualifications facilitated by a syndicate collaborating with a university based in Cotonou.
The investigative report delves into the journalist’s engagement with a syndicate offering a shortcut to education, promising to deliver a bachelor’s degree within a month from Cotonou’s Ecole Superieure de Gestion et de Technologies in Benin Republic. The package included tuition fees, an evaluation letter, resident permit, immigration stamps, and transportation.
The report highlights Cotonou’s reputation not only for the thriving second-hand car business but also as a hub for those seeking express degrees. The syndicate’s requirements involve O-level certificates, whether fake or genuine, and a specific amount of money, varying based on the course, urgency, and class of degree.
The journalist, without undergoing any formal application, studying, or examinations, astonishingly received the alleged degree and transcript within two months of making the payment in December 2022. Despite initial suspicions regarding the documents’ authenticity, a unique scan code on the transcript directed to ESGT’s website, seemingly confirming the journalist’s status as a genuine alumnus.
Further investigation revealed a troubling collaboration between Nigerian agents and the top management of ESGT, where the registrar and English section coordinator are Nigerians. The syndicate managed to obtain evaluation letters from the Federal Ministry of Education, a mandatory requirement for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mobilization.
The NYSC, in separate correspondence, confirmed ESGT’s accreditation and cleared 51 graduates for participation in the NYSC, affirming the equivalence of degrees awarded by ESGT with those from Nigerian universities. Despite participating genuinely in the NYSC in the past, the journalist faced minimal obstacles during screening, signaling potential weaknesses in the system’s ability to detect multiple participations.
This undercover investigation sheds light on the intricate web of illicit activities surrounding counterfeit academic credentials and the challenges posed by collusion between Nigerian agents and institutions abroad.