FUE Pankshin Dismantles Certificate Forgery Syndicate, Two Jailed
From Tongnaan Bawa, Jos
The Federal University of Education (FUE), Pankshin, Plateau State, has uncovered and dismantled a syndicate involved in the production and circulation of forged academic results and certificates falsely linked to the institution, resulting in the conviction and imprisonment of two suspects.
The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jere Ndazhaga, disclosed this during a press conference in Jos on Monday, explaining that the University deemed it necessary to brief the public in line with its commitment to transparency, accountability and public trust.
Professor Ndazhaga noted that FUE, Pankshin, recently transitioned from the former Federal College of Education to a full-fledged university, stressing that the management would not tolerate any activity capable of undermining its credibility or academic standards.
He said the fraud was uncovered when an individual submitted a suspicious certificate to the University’s Examinations and Records Section, claiming that the result had not been uploaded on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) portal.
According to him, the vigilance and professionalism of staff on duty led to the prompt detection of inconsistencies in the document, after which the matter was escalated to the University Security Unit.
The Acting Vice-Chancellor explained that the case was reported to the Divisional Police Office in Pankshin, while further intelligence exposed a network producing fake results and certificates bearing the University’s name. This development led to a formal report to the State Intelligence Department on November 17, 2025.
Following discreet security operations, Friday Tunkyes from Mikang Local Government Area was arrested on November 18, 2025, while another suspect, Mr Harvey Obed Ringsum of Mangu Local Government Area, was apprehended the following day.
Professor Ndazhaga said several forged certificates of various academic qualifications, as well as the official emboss stamp of the University, were recovered during the operation.
He added that the Nigeria Police Force prosecuted the case, and after investigation and trial, the two suspects were found guilty by a competent court. They were each sentenced to one and a half years’ imprisonment and are currently serving their terms at a Correctional Centre.
The Acting Vice-Chancellor said the University made the matter public to protect its integrity and safeguard unsuspecting employers and institutions. He advised organisations within and outside Nigeria to always verify certificates purportedly issued by FUE, Pankshin.
“There is no shortcut to knowledge,” he said, emphasising that every genuine certificate represents years of academic discipline, character development and hard work.
Professor Ndazhaga reaffirmed the University’s commitment to excellence and urged members of the public to report any suspicious activities that threaten the sanctity of education.