Some staff members of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, have revealed how a syndicate in the university has been issuing fake degree certificates to fraudulent students.
SaharaReporters learnt that one of a number of aggrieved workers attached to the Directorate of Academic Planning, Monitoring and Registry wrote an anonymous letter to the ABU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Kabir Bala, asking him to investigate the syndicate which was soiling the reputation of the university.
In the letter obtained by SaharaReporters, the workers explained that one of such instances was a Bachelor of Science in Physics, Second-Class Upper Division certificate, issued to a female student who had already been withdrawn from the school since 2015.
The said female student was withdrawn for poor performance, but the syndicate helped her to secure the ABU certificate.
The workers dared the VC to verify their claims from the Physics Department, while alleging that there is a cover-up in some of the affected departments.
The letter dated, December 17, 2020, partly reads, “We, the staff of the above unit of our great university, wish to bring to your notice the issuance of a fake degree result i.e. B.Sc. Physics (Second Class Upper) to a female student named Shafaatu Abdullahi with Registration number U15/PY/2014 who had been withdrawn from this university since 2015.
“She was withdrawn for poor academic performance. In fact, this candidate was withdrawn in her first academic session in the Physics department. Information that we sourced is that this same withdrawn student was provided with all the necessary documentations for her to be mobilised in the National Youth Service Corps programme. She is thus either mobilised in the NYSC scheme or about to. We have attached a copy of the fake statement of results for your inquiry.
“Sir, we are proud of this university and we felt we shouldn’t just remain mute. We are very sure that this BSc (Physics) result issued to this student is fake. We want you to confirm the result as any delay could jeopardise the standard of this great university.
“We are sure many staff members are aware of this habit of connivance of our staff with students to issue fake statements of results. It is no longer news or rumours that some do get away with these fake results of ABU, Zaria and secure jobs. The university needs to totally eradicate this crime before we totally lose our glory. We have confidence in you and are sure you will take decisive action.”
The letter was also copied to the Registrar, Director, Academic Planning, the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Non-Academic Staff of Universities.
