EPIDEMIC OF FAKE DOCUMENTS

 ILIYASU GASHINBAKI contends that the growing cases of forged documents reflect a deeper crisis of trust and accountability

Document fraud has become one of our most corrosive and overlooked threats. From forged degrees and falsified tax certificates to manipulated national IDs, the epidemic of fake documents is not just an administrative headache, it is a crisis eroding democracy, weakening institutions, and sabotaging economic progress. The growing cases of forged documents are not merely administrative lapses; they reflect a deeper crisis of trust and accountability. In 2020, for instance, a landmark Supreme Court ruling disqualified Bayelsa governor-elect David Lyon on the eve of his swearing-in because his running mate, Biobarakuma DegiEremienyo, had submitted forged academic credentials to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The fallout flipped the political landscape overnight, handing victory to the opposition. In 2018, then Federal Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, resigned after an investigation revealed she forged her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) exemption certificate. Her case laid bare how even the highest offices could be breached by document fraud. Even more embarrassing is the involvement of youngsters in this menace. In July 2023, Mmesoma Ejikeme, a 19-year-old, manipulated her United Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) score from 249 to 362 using a forged QR code, briefly positioning herself as the national top scorer.

It took weeks of media frenzy, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) investigation, and public uproar to uncover the truth. It is sobering that between 2021 and 2024, the Federal Ministry of Education blacklisted 18 illegal “foreign” universities operating within and outside the country. These degree mills, I must emphasise, churned out thousands of fake certificates used to gain jobs, public office, and professional recognition. In January 2024 alone, over 1,500 individuals were caught using fake foreign degrees in recruitment processes across both public and private sectors! In 2022, Abidemi Rufai, an aide to the Governor of Ogun State, was convicted in the U.S. for fraudulently claiming over $350,000 in COVID-19 relief funds using stolen identities. His crime may have been committed abroad, but its consequences boomeranged home, reinforcing global suspicion toward Nigerian documentation. Unfortunately, I must confess, the sore issue of document fraud does not stop at just schools and politics. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is currently prosecuting 156 companies for submitting forged Tax Clearance Certificates (TCCs) to secure government contracts, a scam that runs into billions of Naira. Document fraud is not only a matter of dishonesty; it poses a direct threat to public safety, credibility, and economic stability. A doctor with a fake license is a killer in waiting. An engineer with forged credentials will approve a plan that can lead to building collapse or other structures including bridges.

A public servant with falsified documents can sign away a nation’s wealth. According to a 2023 report by Ask Nigeria, the country ranked 9th in Africa for identity fraud attempts involving national IDs, with an 18% fraud rate. In Q1 of 2023 alone, The Guardian newspapers reported over 82,000 verified data breaches, underscoring the scale of systemic failure in credential security. In today’s digital economy, certificates are more than paper, they are passports to trust. From job applications to electoral contests, from contract bidding to security clearance, documents authenticate not just competence, but character. When this trust collapses, so do systems.

The rising tide of forged documentation threatens not only domestic institutions, but Nigeria’s international standing. Honest Nigerian professionals abroad face extra scrutiny while student visa applications are delayed and recruiters question every certificate. One scandal from one individual ripples across the reputation of millions. Document fraud is a national cancer, and forensic science is the scalpel. Happily, the Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria (CIFCFIN) is leading a quiet but critical campaign to combat this crisis. In recent months, CIFCFIN has partnered with the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) to screen electoral candidates with forensic tools before primaries; proposed collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to support identity management with forensic authentication; proposed forensic audits within educational institutions, electoral bodies, and procurement agencies. But I believe more should be done. I am therefore suggesting the following as panacea to the intractable problem of document fraud in Nigeria.

 One, collaboration with Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria for the creation of a National Credential Verification Portal to Integrate databases from West African Examination Council (WAEC), JAMB, NYSC, National University Commission (NUC), and professional bodies into a secure, tamper-proof system for real-time document authentication. Two, mandatory Forensic Screening in Public appointments and elections to ensure forensic vetting of certificates and documents. Three, establishment of a Federal Document Fraud Unit (FDFU) under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) or the Nigerian Police Force, trained in forensic document examination and empowered to prosecute offenders quickly and publicly.Four, strengthening the NUC and Licensing Oversight bodies such as professional associations to audit degrees issued locally and overseas, and immediately sanction any accredited body that issues false certifications. Five, introducing Mandatory Forensic Training in Higher Education such as Law, ICT, and public administration programmes, to build a next generation workforce that is accountability-literate. Six, establish a public registry to blacklist offenders and digitally flag repeat offenders, with legal oversight for persons disqualified for credential fraud, serving as a deterrent to recurrence. Seven, collaborate Internationally with global institutions to track and trace transnational credential fraud, especially for immigration, education, and employment applications.

Document fraud is not just an ethical failing; it is a systemic cancer eroding the foundations of Nigeria’s governance, economy, and global reputation. From politics to education, procurement to public safety, the cost of forged documents is counted in lost lives, failed institutions, and diminished national pride. The evidence is overwhelming; the consequences, undeniable. Yet within this crisis, lies a powerful opportunity for reform. By embracing forensic science, digitizing our verification systems, and embedding integrity into our institutions, Nigeria can begin to restore public trust and international respect.

 Dr. Gashinbaki is the Founder/Chairman, Governing Council, Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria. He can be reached at president@cifcfin.org