ABEOKUTA, Ogun State – No fewer than 49 Higher National Diploma (HND) final-year students at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) risk expulsion following revelations that they allegedly used forged National Diploma (ND) certificates to gain admission into various HND programmes.
According to a PUNCH Metro report, the polytechnic uncovered the irregularities during a recent result verification exercise. A two-batch verification list released by the institution detailed that the affected students hail from multiple departments, including Mass Communication, Pharmaceutical Technology, Marketing, Science Laboratory Technology, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and Accountancy.
Fake ND Certificates from Other Institutions
The polytechnic’s findings suggest that some of the forged ND results were purportedly obtained from other institutions such as The Polytechnic, Ibadan; The Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro; Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa; and Ibarapa Polytechnic, Eruwa, both in Oyo State.
Verification Process and Institution’s Response
Speaking on the development, MAPOLY’s Public Relations Officer, ‘Yemi Ajibola, noted that the verification of ND results is a standard procedure aimed at authenticating credentials of all admitted students. Ajibola attributed the delayed release of some students’ results to the rigorous verification process, which ultimately unearthed the suspected forgeries.
“We have our internal mechanisms for verifying results submitted by every student of the polytechnic. Some of the results had yet to be verified because the schools they came from had yet to confirm their results, while some of the results were found to be fake,” Ajibola stated.
He added that students identified for allegedly presenting fake certificates would be granted an opportunity to defend their credentials before any final expulsion decisions are made.
Institutional Closure and Government Dispute
In a related development, MAPOLY announced an indefinite closure on Monday, following a planned protest by students. The protest reportedly stemmed from disagreements with the Ogun State Government regarding an incident involving the state’s Deputy Governor, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele.
While the government claimed that the deputy governor narrowly escaped an attack, some students alleged that her security detail fired shots at them during the confrontation, intensifying tensions within the institution and leading to the shutdown.
Elsewhere: Kwara State University Expels 175 Students
In a similar crackdown on academic misconduct, Kwara State University (KWASU) in Malete has expelled 175 students for various offences, including examination malpractice, theft, fraud, and admission-related irregularities involving fake results. According to a statement by Dr. Saeedat Aliyu, Acting Director of University Relations, some of the expelled students were also involved in unregistered associations and illegal possession of firearms.
The statement, which was released on Monday, July 8, underscores that KWASU’s disciplinary actions align with its zero-tolerance policy on any form of malpractice or criminal behavior within its campus community.
Disclaimer: This report is based on official statements and updates from MAPOLY and published information regarding Kwara State University’s disciplinary actions. Further clarifications or legal determinations surrounding the alleged use of fake certificates may evolve as investigations and administrative processes continue.