The Rector,Prof .Salisu Ogbo Usman, showing to journalists at the occasion,some of the forged statement of results of ND and HND by members of the syndicate .
The management of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, has uncovered an organized result falsification syndicate involving a Deputy Registrar, five other staff members, students, and non-students, accused of forging academic records and certificates of the institution.
The Rector, Professor Salisu Ogbo Usman, disclosed this during a press briefing on Thursday, saying the syndicate’s activities were uncovered following intelligence reports and routine verification exercises conducted by the Polytechnic’s Admissions, ICT, and Security Units.
According to him, the investigation revealed shocking levels of forgery and manipulation of academic records, with some suspects forging National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) results in the name of the Polytechnic, pointing out that some of the forged documents were even presented to the institution for the collection of original certificates.
Professor Usman stated that the syndicate include dishonest staff who colluded with result processors to falsify results for students with multiple carryovers, portraying them as successful graduates.
“Their actions represent an assault on the credibility and reputation of our institution,” he declared.
The Rector identified one of the key suspects as Mr. Dominic Egwuda, who allegedly conspired with others within and outside the institution to issue forged results and certificates, adding that Egwuda has refused to honour invitation by the polytechnic to explain his role in the syndicate.
He said:“Following intelligence reports and routine verification exercises by the Admission, ICT, and Security Units, a detailed investigation was launched in collaboration with relevant law enforcement agencies.
“Investigation revealed shocking levels of audacity and deceit. Some of the suspects forged National Diploma (ND) results in the name of Kogi State Polytechnic and had the temerity to apply for Higher National Diploma (HND) admission in the same institution using the forged ND results. Even more alarming, others forged both ND and HND results and had the gut to apply for the collection of original certificates for the same fabricated results.
“These individuals compromised our security arrangements and tampered with the security features on our Statements of Result.
“They colluded with result processors to prepare results for individuals who had multiple carryovers but refused to sit for their examinations, thereby falsely portraying them as graduates.
“Such criminal acts represent an assault on the credibility and reputation of our institution, and they cannot be allowed to go unpunished.
The recent cases uncovered in this regards are:
“1. Amina Mustapha who was never our student, but forged our Forgery of ND and HND results and attempted to use same to obtain original certificate in connivance with some members of staff in Exams Unit.
“2. MfonAsuquo who was our student that absconded with multiple carryovers only to fraudulently obtain our statement of result and attempted using same to obtain original certificate in connivance with same members of staff in Exams Unit.
“3. Dansuma Mercy Sunday who connived with one Abubakar Musa (our student with matriculation number 2024/HND/URP/052, Adejoh Faith (our student with matriculation number 2024/HND/OTM/179, Ademu Rilwan(our student with matriculation number 2024/HND/BUS/158 and Henry Tope; a former student identified as the mastermind of the syndicate forging statement of result.
“We are pleased to inform the public that four suspects involved in the forgery of statement of result were apprehended during registration. They have been handed over to our security unit, whose investigation led to the unmasking of the broader syndicate behind this academic fraud.
“For record purpose, let me re-emphasise the case of Amina Mustapha earlier mentioned. She appeared alongside a staff member, Mr. Dominic Egwuda, to collect ND and HND certificates in Computer Science. Upon scrutiny by the Admissions Unit, discrepancies were noticed. Investigation revealed that Amina never attended Kogi State Polytechnic, and her matriculation numbers were nonexistent.
“Further investigation led to the suspension of five (5) staff members, including a Deputy Registrar.
“Mr. Dominic Egwuda, whose name repeatedly appears in this saga, has refused to honour our invitation and is presently on the run.
In another discovery, a staff member in the Exams and Records Unit already under disciplinary review had in his possession 30 forged Statements of Result bearing different names and programmes. Security operatives also recovered several fake official stamps, stamp pads and admission letters bearing different names and programmes from his residence,”.
He added that five staff members linked to the scandal had been suspended pending further investigation, while four suspects were apprehended during registration exercises and handed over to security operatives.
Among those implicated,the rector added;are Amina Mustapha, who was never a student of the Polytechnic but allegedly forged both ND and HND results to obtain original certificates in Computer Science, and Mfon Asuquo, a former student who absconded with several carryovers but fraudulently obtained a statement of result.
In another development, a staff member under disciplinary review was found with 30 forged Statements of Result, several fake official stamps, stamp pads, and admission letters bearing different names and programmes.
The Rector said these materials were recovered from the suspect’s residence by security operatives.
Professor Usman reaffirmed the Polytechnic’s zero-tolerance stance on academic fraud and unethical conduct, vowing that all suspects would be handed over to the police for diligent investigation and prosecution. “We must safeguard the integrity of our certificates and protect the reputation we have worked hard to rebuild,” he stated.
He assured stakeholders and the public that the Polytechnic’s quality assurance and security mechanisms remain intact, adding that management will continue to expose and eliminate all forms of misconduct capable of undermining the institution’s hard-earned reputation being facilitated by his tenure.
