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The Federal Government has initiated an inquiry into private universities established within the last 15 years, inviting public input as part of its investigative process.

The decision to probe these institutions follows revelations of certificate racketeering exposed in a report by Umar Audu, a journalist with Daily Nigerian, focusing on activities in neighboring Benin Republic and Togo.

According to available data, no fewer than 107 private universities have been established in the specified timeframe.

A special Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling, mandated by the Federal Government, will scrutinize various aspects of these universities, including the adequacy of facilities, management structures, funding, and staff composition.

In an advertisement published on Tuesday, the committee stressed that its investigation would complement, rather than replace, the routine accreditation procedures carried out by the National Universities Commission.

Members of the public are encouraged to submit memoranda to the committee, offering insights and information to assist in the formulation of recommendations to combat the identified issues.

The call for action comes in response to an investigative report by Umar Audu, published late last year, detailing his expedited acquisition of a degree from Benin Republic within six weeks and subsequent enrollment in the National Youth Service Corps programme.

The Federal Government officially announced the launch of the investigation on January 9, 2024, during the inauguration of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on fake degrees and degree mill activities in Abuja.

Committee Chairman Jibrila Amin outlined the committee's mandate, which includes scrutinizing the roles of relevant government agencies and officials in facilitating the recognition and procurement of fake certificates. Additionally, the committee will assess the procedures for accrediting foreign universities and programs, identify any unapproved foreign institutions operating as degree mills within Nigeria, and propose measures to prevent recurrence while imposing sanctions on culpable individuals.

The committee is also tasked with making recommendations to enhance the quality assurance of degrees in Nigeria and reviewing the procedures for granting provisional licenses to new universities by the National Universities Commission.