A civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has petitioned the Senate to conduct a public hearing on the investigation of alleged certificate forgery against the Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Micheal Akabogu.
In the petition submitted to the Senate President and signed by Amina Mohammed, HURIWA noted that the request for a transparent investigation of the forgery allegation against the NSTIF boss became necessary as a result of clandestine plans to compromise the investigation by vested interests within the Nigerian Police Force (NPF).
The petition states that “Issues of alleged Certificate forgery speak of desperation to acquire power and influence at all costs, which has affected the moral compass of the nation and questions its norms and values.
”We, the undersigned leading and prominent Civil Rights advocacy group; Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) wish to draw the attention of the Nigerian Senate President; His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Ahmed Lawan to our distrust in the Nigerian Police Force Headquarters investigating the alleged National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) certificate forgery involving Michael Akabogu; Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
“We learned that the NSITF boss, with discharge certificate number A030544, was invited by the police after a criminal complaint against him was forwarded to the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Sunday Babaji.
“The police, reportedly wrote to the NYSC to demand clarifications on the certificate. The NYSC, in a response letter with reference number NYSC/CCD/VER/10/S.1/VOL/07 to the police disowned Akabogu’s discharged certificate.”
It noted that “the December 5 letter addressed to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Divisional Police Headquarters, Utako Division, FCT Command, Abuja, was signed on behalf of the NYSC Director-General by the Acting Director Corps Certification, Ibrahim A.M.
It read in part, “Your letter Re: Case of forgery involving a Corps member, Akabogu Michael C. with State Code No. OG/FUTO/91/23402
“Your letter Ref No: CR:3000/FCT/UT/VOL.10/69 dated 3rd November 2022 on the above subject refers, please.
“I wish to inform you that the Certificate of National Service belonging to Akabugu Michael C with Certificate number A030544 forwarded for verification was not issued by the NYSC.
“However, you are requested to retrieve the original Certificate for onward submission to the NYSC.”
HURIWA while decrying the spate of certificate forgery in the public service, observed that “the series of disturbing incidences of document forgery situations, which have shown an absolute flight of morality in the polity as a consequence of desperation to acquire power and influence at all costs.
“Since the return to democracy, Nigerians have seen a continuous deterioration of their political process into a criminal franchise of power grab for self-service at all costs and morality appears to have taken flight in everything we are doing in this country.
“Immorality pervades the entire country and that is why we are not even able to implement our laws. In fact, the executive is not able to execute any law nor is the judiciary able to interpret the law in line with the morality of the rule of law because the law was crafted to safeguard morality and so when a system is devoid of morality, it becomes dysfunctional.
“It is worrisome that in a country where public office holders are made to pass through several screening processes, one wonders how those parading forged certificates were not caught.
“Research has shown that the security operatives that conduct the screenings are often not aware of the fake certificates as they are given guidelines on what to check and how to check them – thus the need for an independent investigation into Akabogu’s issue
“This same scenario happened in Kemi Adeosun’s case because she had used the certificate to pass a screening test for her appointment as commissioner for finance in Ogun State where she was screened.
“Your excellency, certificate forgery is economic sabotage. This further gives credence to why we are calling for an independent investigation herein and if found guilty, Mr. Akabogu should be made to pay back all money and entitlements gotten while illegally occupying office to serve as a deterrent to others.
“We wish to put it on record that we are neither in any way against the person of Michael Akabogu; rather our concern is to ensure an unbiased and uncompromised investigation as the Force Headquarters has been known to water down issues. As such, the senate should see this as a concern too so as to instill public confidence in our democratic institutions.
“Consequently, the Senate, if it’s really made up of democrats, is called upon to use its legislative powers to stop this investigation by the Force Headquarters and constitute an independent investigation made up of individuals with unquestionable track records. We will be left with no other option but to rally Nigerians to call the reputation of the National Assembly into disrepute.
“Additionally, we are calling on the Nigerian Senate to call for the investigation of all of the other issues of document forgery as there are concerns that some of these issues may have been swept under the carpet by self-serving interests.
“We insist that it is never late to deal with conspirators in high places who are bent on soiling the reputation of public offices, re-write our status as regards Nigerian citizenship and the rule of law as applicable to all citizens of the country”.
