Benin Exposé: “It’s a Crime”, Lawyer Speaks as Reporter Enrolls for NYSC After Completion
- A Lagos-based lawyer, Festus Ogun, has spoken on the implications of undercover reporter, Umar Shehu Audu, participating in NYSC twice
- Legit.ng recalls that Audu who had earlier been mobilised for the compulsory one-year programme in 2019 was able to be mobilised for the same programme in 2023
- Speaking in an interview with Legit.ng, Ogun said rather than demonising Audu, a national honour should be bestowed on him
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has 9-year experience covering basic and tertiary education in Nigeria and worldwide
FCT, Abuja - Human rights lawyer, Festus Ogun, has said although it is a crime to enroll for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) after completing service and collecting a certificate, Umar Shehu Audu, who went undercover to expose corruption in the issuance of certificates in Benin Republic should not be punished.
It would be recalled that Ugochukwu Favour, the president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Benin Republic chapter, had called for Audu’s arrest.
Source: Twitter
"Punishing Audu would be contrary to public policy": Ogun
Favour said the fact that Audu participated in the NYSC twice (first in 2019 and then in 2023) means he should be taken into custody by the police.
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Against the backdrop of the NANS president’s demand, Legit.ng spoke to Ogun who posited that Audu should rather be commended for his “courageous” act.
He said:
“It is a crime to enroll for NYSC after completion and issuance of an initial certificate. However, that will not be applicable to the courageous journalist under the public policy principle. Punishing him for exposing the rot in the system will be contrary to public policy. He deserves commendation and national honour for rescuing our education system from complete collapse.”
FG suspends accreditation of degrees from Benin
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the federal government said it had suspended the evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from universities in neighbouring Togo and Benin Republic.
The move was the government's reaction to an undercover report by an online newspaper that revealed how a Cotonou-based university issued a degree certificate to an investigative journalist within six weeks.
"I never attended any class": Undercover journalist
Legit.ng also reported that Audu narrated how he secured a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication certificate from the Ecole Superieure de Gestion et de Technologies, Cotonou, Benin Republic.
Audu said he was not issued an admission letter and does not know where the school is located.
Kenya, Uganda degrees may be affected
Meanwhile, amid the scourge of degree mills institutions in Africa, the Tinubu administration said sanctions would be extended to more countries like Kenya, Uganda, and Niger Republic.
This follows the suspension of accreditation and evaluation of degree certificates from Benin Republic and Togo after an exposé that indicted some universities in Cotonou.
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Source: Legit.ng
