A fresh forgery scandal has hit the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), following allegations that a senior official, Mr. Nwankwoeze Williamson Chijioke, falsified his academic records to climb the civil service ladder.
Chijioke, who currently serves as the Director of Lands in the Mass Housing Department (MHD) of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), is accused of presenting a forged Ordinary National Diploma (OND) certificate from Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin.
The alleged fake certificate reportedly enabled him to secure admission into the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, where he later obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Architectural Technology.
The alleged forgery laid the foundation for his subsequent qualifications, including a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC), and a master’s degree in an undisclosed field. These credentials are said to have supported his steady rise to one of the most sensitive offices within the FCDA.
Documents obtained show that Kwara State Polytechnic disowned the OND certificate in a letter dated March 12, 2025, and signed by Ibrahim Eletu Saka, the Deputy Registrar (Examinations and Records).
The institution confirmed that the statement of result presented by Chijioke “did not emanate from the school” and was therefore fake.
Armed with the school’s confirmation, a civic accountability group — the Dependable Patriots for Nation Building and Transformation Initiative (DPNBTI) — petitioned several government bodies, including the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the ICPC, the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, and the Presidency.
The petition accused the official of forgery, perjury, and conspiracy, urging the police to prosecute him and recover all benefits gained through the falsified records.
“Our investigation revealed that Nwankwoeze Chijioke used a forged statement of result dated January 16, 1997, purportedly issued by Kwara State Polytechnic, to secure admission into Oko Polytechnic and later employment in the civil service,” the group stated. “The institution has disowned the document in its official letter dated March 12, 2025.”
Despite the petitions, sources say the authorities have yet to take concrete action months after the complaint.
Frustrated by the silence, the DPNBTI approached the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking a court order to compel the police to investigate and prosecute the director.
The case, filed under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/2050/2025, requests an Order of Mandamus directing the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force to take action against the official. The court has also been asked to allow substituted service due to difficulties in reaching the defendant.
“This is a test of institutional accountability,” the group’s lawyer said. “When clear evidence of forgery is ignored, it weakens public confidence in the system.”
The case, filed on September 23, 2025, has been assigned to a trial judge for hearing. However, this development adds to a growing list of certificate scandals in Nigeria’s public sector.
It could be recalled that Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, recently resigned from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet after questions were raised over the authenticity of his academic credentials.
His exit sparked renewed calls for stricter verification of certificates among public officials.
