Kogi Polytechnic Uncovers Certificate Forgery Syndicate

…Hands Over Suspects to Police The management of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, has handed over four suspected certificate fraudsters to the police for investigation and prosecution. The suspects were reportedly uncovered through a security system in place in the school, which detected discrepancies in their academic records. The suspects include Amina Mustapha, Mfom Asuquo, Danjuma Mercy Sunday, and Abubakar Musa, among others. According to the Rector, Professor Usman Ogbo, Amina Mustapha claimed to be a graduate of Computer Science from the Polytechnic and requested the issuance of original certificates for her National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) Certificates. However, scrutiny of her admission and academic records revealed that she had never attended the institution. Further investigation led to the suspension of five staff members, including a Deputy Registrar, and the discovery of a syndicate involved in certificate forgery. The principal suspect, Henry Tope, was found with 30 original certificates of the Polytechnic bearing various names and eight official stamps used to forge the certificates. He allegedly received N70,000 to forge a certificate for Amina Mustapha. The Rector affirmed that the Polytechnic maintained zero tolerance for academic fraud and unethical conduct, assuring the public that the institution’s quality assurance measures and security mechanisms are fully active and uncompromised. The management has expressed gratitude to the Kogi State Governor for providing necessary support and funding to strengthen the institution’s security infrastructure. The Polytechnic management expressed concern over the delay in the prosecution of suspects arrested in similar cases in 2020, calling for swift justice to serve as a deterrent to others.