Benin varsities, Nigerian polys in NYSC fraud

NYSC members

Some blacklisted universities in the Benin Republic have devised means of sneaking their graduates into the National Youth Service Corps in collaboration with certain private polytechnics in Nigeria, findings by Saturday PUNCH have shown.

Our correspondent gathered that the universities now obtain Higher National Diploma and National Diploma certificates for their graduates and students due for graduation through the private polytechnics.

After issuing the HND certificates, the polytechnics would then mobilise the affected students for the mandatory NYSC.

Saturday PUNCH also learnt that the students were asked to pay about N400,000 to obtain the HND certificates from the polytechnics, mostly located in South-West and South-East states.

Blacklisted Benin varsities

In 2024, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education, announced the suspension of evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from the Republic of Benin and Togo.

Over 45 Beninoise and Togolese universities were affected by the suspension.

The Federal Government’s decision followed a report by Daily Nigerian, which exposed the activities of a degree mill in Cotonou, a major city in Benin Republic.

An undercover reporter with the newspaper had obtained a degree from the university within six weeks and even participated in the mandatory NYSC in Nigeria.

Following the ban, some of the affected universities turned to private polytechnics to facilitate NYSC enrolment for their Nigerian graduates.

The connivance

Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, a graduate of Esfam-Benin University, one of the blacklisted universities in Porto Novo, Seun, said his academic records had been forwarded to a Nigerian private polytechnic for processing.

He added that some of his classmates had already been processed and were awaiting their NYSC call-up letters, expected before December.

Seun disclosed that two graduates from the school had already been mobilised for NYSC through the same polytechnic.

He, however, noted that he had spent a fortune on the package.

He said, “Others have completed their processing and are just waiting for NYSC to mobilise them in the next batch. They are currently working on some graduates registered earlier before us. Before the end of the year, those graduates will be posted. I know of two ladies from our school who are already serving now.

“While others have completed their processing, I’m having an issue with my O’Level that I’m resolving. I need to solve that for the new course at the polytechnic. I was told to pay N120,000 for a ‘special centre’ where they will help me pass the GCE or an equivalent exam. Once that’s done, I can register and the portal will be opened for me.

“Our names and certificates have already been processed with the polytechnic. Basically, once one has money, you can get a Benin Republic certificate, then take it to a Nigerian polytechnic, again with money, and get a new certificate that allows you to go for NYSC.”

Another graduate of one of the blacklisted universities in Benin Republic explained that a key member of the school’s management informed them about the ‘package’ after the Nigerian government banned institutions in the country.

“When universities in Benin Republic were blacklisted, the school’s key member, Dele, told us that people were still serving in NYSC.

“He said though our university certificates were no longer valid for NYSC, he could help us through a private polytechnic in Nigeria. He told us that he had access to the school and would give us a link, but we had to pay a certain amount. Punch