ICPC Summons Reporter, Launches Investigation Into Togo, Benin Degree Scandal

The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Musa Adamu Aliyu, has invited the reporter who exposed the alleged degree certificate fraud in some neighbouring countries to a meeting at the agency’s headquarters.

Recall that the Federal Government on Tuesday suspended certificates from the two francophone West African countries following a report by a journalist detailing how a degree was acquired from a university in the Benin Republic in two months.

The reporter’s investigation into Ecole Supérieure de Gestion et de Technologies, ESGT, in Cotonou, revealed a concerning situation where degrees are allegedly awarded in as little as six weeks, bypassing standard academic procedures like application, registration, coursework, and examinations.

In a statement signed by the ICPC Director of Press, Azuka Ogugua, the anti-graft agency said that the invitation was to discuss the story published on December 30 by the reporter on the alleged corrupt practices at a Cotonou university.

According to the ICPC, the meeting with the reporter was aimed at deepening the investigation and initiating relevant actions against parties involved in the certificate scandal.

“The probe will rigorously examine the networks and individuals engaged in these malpractices, with the objective of restoring and preserving the integrity of our educational system,” the Commission said.

The ICPC stated that it would engage in a synergistic collaboration with relevant domestic and international bodies to jointly evaluate the legitimacy of academic qualifications procured from overseas institutions, especially those highlighted in the investigative report.