The House of Representatives has approved a 10-year security protection for investigative journalist, Umar Audu, following his exposé on widespread certificate racketeering in the Benin Republic.
Audu’s undercover investigation uncovered a syndicate that facilitates the sale of unearned university certificates to Nigerians, many of which are then fraudulently cleared by government agencies, including the Ministry of Education.
The joint House Committees on University, Polytechnic, Interior, Foreign Affairs, and Youth Development are currently probing the scandal.
Rep. Abubakar Fulata, Chairman of the Committee, announced the House’s directive and called on the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, to ensure Audu’s safety for the next decade.
“We are grateful to Audu for his courage. We urge the Minister of the Interior to ensure that the Civil Defence provides the required support alongside the police,” Fulata said.
In his testimony before the committee, Audu detailed how he acquired a Benin Republic university degree without attending classes and had it cleared by the Ministry of Education for a fee of ₦40,000.