The Nigerian government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has dismissed civil servants who obtained degrees from private tertiary institutions in Benin Republic and Togo between 2017 and the present. This decision follows recommendations made by an inter-ministerial committee.
According to Segun Imohiosen, the Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the directive to terminate these workers was issued by the SGF. Ministries, departments, and agencies have been instructed to identify and dismiss employees who graduated from private universities in the two neighboring countries during the specified period.
This action is part of ongoing efforts to verify the authenticity of academic certificates held by government employees. Caroline Embu, Director of Information at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), confirmed the implementation of this directive, revealing that five staff members had already been dismissed as a result.
The move has sparked reactions, including from former Senator Shehu Sani, who expressed his sadness over the firings. Public opinion has been divided, with some Nigerians criticizing the decision, while others support the government’s stance on ensuring the integrity of educational qualifications in the civil service.
