We’re Unaware Of Adeosun’s Certificate Scandal – Police

The Nigeria Police Force, on Tuesday, said they were ‘unaware’ of the allegation of NYSC certificate forgery levelled against Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun.

The police said they would be more than glad to investigate Mrs Adeosun if only they had been informed of the minister’s alleged certificate forgery.

The Force said Adeosun, whose alleged certificate forgery became of public interest after Premium Times exclusively reported the news, cannot be investigated based on media reports.

The Force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, said unless the police received a formal written or oral complaint against the minister, there is practically nothing to they could do regarding her certificate scandal.

“There must be a complaint, either written or verbal to us. You must write to a divisional police station or the Commissioner of Police or to the Inspector-General of Police; we have not received any complaint, so we can’t investigate it (allegation of forgery),” Moshood told reporters in Abuja.

The Force PRO added that, “I have not read the report of what you said was published in newspapers. As I said, we can’t investigate the allegations until there is a verbal or written complaint against her (the finance minister).”

Meanwhile, the reports of alleged forgery of certificate by Mrs Adeosun had sparked outrage on social media as politicians in opposition parties have called on the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to sack the minister.

Adeosun is yet to publicly respond to the allegation since the certificate scandal was brought to the fore about a fortnight ago.

A civic organization, BudgIT Nigeria, whose mission is to ensure accountability in governance, has asked the finance minister to either respond to the allegation or resign her office.

Another civil society group, Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative, has reportedly handed Mrs Adeosun a 72-hours ultimatum to absolve herself of the allegation.

Amongst groups who have also called on the minister to clarify the forgery allegations levelled against her are the Human and Environmental Development Agenda Resource Centre and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).