The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has demobilized 54 individuals who were fraudulently mobilized as graduates of the University of Calabar (UNICAL). This action was taken to ensure that unqualified persons do not receive Certificates of National Service, which are awarded to legitimate graduates who complete the NYSC program.
The NYSC’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Eddy Megwa, confirmed this development in a statement issued on Friday night. According to the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General Yusha’u Ahmed, who spoke in Abuja, the fake graduates would face prosecution for their involvement in the scheme.
Out of the 54 individuals affected, 19 had registered online for mobilization but were subsequently blocked from participating in the NYSC program. Additionally, the certificates for four other individuals involved in the fraud were not issued by the Scheme.
Earlier in the week, the NYSC also invalidated the Certificates of National Service for 101 graduates who had been illegally mobilized between 2021 and 2023.
This issue drew the attention of the Pro-Chancellor of UNICAL, retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Udom Ekpoudom, who praised the NYSC for exposing the fraudulent activities and promised to take action against university staff implicated in the scheme.
The NYSC DG highlighted a case involving a bread seller who was falsely mobilized as a graduate of the university. He credited Professor Florence Obi, the Vice-Chancellor of UNICAL, for notifying the NYSC about suspicious names appearing on the institution’s list of graduates.
“The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar came here to report that she observed some names appeared on the institution’s list and they ought not to have been there. She checked the list the school gave us and I told her that their certificates would be invalidated. I give kudos to the Vice-Chancellor.
“Previously, a bread seller was mobilised on the graduation list from the same institution, there are bad eggs in many places that generate matriculation numbers and courses for their candidates”, the DG said.
In response to this ongoing problem, Brigadier-General Ahmed stressed the importance of integrity in the data submission process by universities and other educational institutions. He urged employers across the country to carefully verify the authenticity of NYSC certificates submitted by job applicants.
