13 suspects arrested as Kogi State Polytechnic bursts exam "Magic Centres" and certificate racketeering syndicate

The Acting Rector of the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, Dr. Salisu Ogbo Usman has revealed that an examination fraud and certificate racketeering syndicate operating within and outside the Lokoja campus, have been smashed.The Rector, who disclosed this on Monday, November 9, in Lokoja, while briefing newsmen on the endemic academic decadence and lawlessness in the institution, said 13 suspects have been arrested so far by the security department over alleged culpability in the fraud.  Dr. Usman said that upon receipt of intelligence report about existence of examination “Magic Centres” both within the campus and in some parts of Lokoja, the management launched investigation into it. "When I assumed duties, I got information that our certificate was one of the easiest commodities to purchase from the market. My friend, your colleague Mr. Julius Atabo even told me at a point that market women who could not spell their own names were flying our certificates around as graduate of the institution," he stated. "I took the comment as a joke carried too far until His Royal Majesty, the Obaro of Kabba at a separate occasion similarly alluded to the same issue of certificate racketeering when I paid him a familiarization visit in his Palace at Kabba shortly after I assumed duties. Yet, I couldn’t believe such story about the institution I proudly graduated from about twenty-four years ago. "But in all sincerity, Ladies and Gentlemen, the events of the past few months have proven what I hated most to be true. Just few days ago, I got an intelligence report in respect of existence of examination “Magic Centres” both within the campus and in some parts of Lokoja. We immediately set investigative machineries in motion to ascertain the authenticity of the report. Lo and behold, the centre being controlled by a syndicate of some disgruntled elements in our system was discovered right in the heart of Lokoja,""See some pictures of ‘candidates’ on the projected screen. These are our students at one of the “Magic Centres” writing their examination while examination for the course(s) in question was going on in the approved halls on the campus. Let me re- emphasize that this was a normal practice though some disciplined members of staff in the Polytechnic doubted its existence, before we were able to unravel this academic decadence with evidence on Thursday 5th November,2020,""Ladies and Gentlemen, on Thursday 5th November, 2020, our team of security were able to burst one of the centres called “Champion Lodge” at Sarkin Norma after the Primary School. Even as the suspects escaped before the arrival of the security team, a total of 32 scripts already answered (with respect to different courses) with students’ particulars respectively written were retrieved from “Carlifonia Lodge” at the same “Sarkin Norma” where the scripts were kept for onward transmission to their Principal(s)," The Rector disclosed that additional 12 participants of the said “Magic centre” who variously confessed to their involvement, were arrested on Monday, November 9. "We were also able to arrest one Mr. Victor Attah, the owner of the room that was used as the “Magic Centre” and one Mr. Daniel Ikoja (Aka Progress), the owner of the room where scripts were kept for onward transmission. Mr. Victor and Mr. Daniel are both students our students," he stated.  In a similar development, the instititution have apprehended one Ndah Zubairu (2017/HSLT/BCM/084) of the Department of Science Laboratory Technology, who forged the National Diploma result from the Federal Polytechnic, Idah. "He used the result to secure admission into the HND programme of the institution. We made the discovery few months into our reform processes particularly on the Unit when he came to obtain his Statement of Result after completion of study," Dr. Usman added. "Details investigation by our Security Unit revealed that Zubairu did tinkered with the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of the National Diploma in Science Laboratory Technology (SLT) obtained from the Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi State. The report further indicates that Zubairu had altered a CGPA of 2.52 certified by the Federal Polytechnic to a CGPA of 3.27 and used the forged version to secure admission into Kogi State Polytechnic,""Similarly, we are currently filtering information that the facilitator of the “Magic Centre” earlier presented above may not have successfully completed the National Diploma Programme in Accountancy but now running a Higher National Diploma programme in the same Department, now at HND II. After our investigation, we will ensure that all the collaborators shall be brought to book in accordance with our laws."  Find attached are names and registration numbers of students found on 32 scripts retrieved from the "Magic Centre" as compiled by the institution's Chief Security Officer (CSO)  The post 13 suspects arrested as Kogi State Polytechnic bursts exam "Magic Centres" and certificate racketeering syndicate appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.

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