By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
Premium Times has written to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) requesting clarification on the authenticity of the NYSC certificate presented by Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, Nigeria’s Minister of Interior.
In a Freedom of Information (FOI) letter dated 7 August 2023 and signed by Premium Time’s Editor-in-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, the letter asked the NYSC to verify whether Tunji Ojo genuinely participated in the one-year national service scheme.
The letter stated that Mr Tunji Ojo claimed to have served between November 28, 2019 and November 27, 2020.
However, Premium Times questioned why the certificate was signed in February 2023, over two years after the purported completion of the service.
The FOI request also noted that Tunji Ojo became a member of the House of Representatives in June 2019, months before the service year he claimed to have participated in.
It asked how the NYSC could have mobilised him for national service while he was already serving as a lawmaker in Nigeria’s parliament.
Premium Times further requested details of his primary place of assignment, community development project, participation in the orientation and passing-out programmes, and the bank through which his service allowances were paid.
The request, made under the Freedom of Information Act, urged the NYSC to respond within the timeframe stipulated by law.
The letter read thus: “Freedom of Information (FOI) request on OLUBUNMI TUNJI OJO and verification of certificate
“The above-named person claimed he participated in the National Youth Service Scheme between 28 November 2019 and 27 November 2020, as indicated in the attached certificate.
“The certificate was submitted by the individual to the Senate as evidence that he participated in the mandatory national service scheme.
“We’d like to know if the certificate is genuine.
“If it is genuine, why was it signed in February 2023, more than two years after the individual completed his service?
“Olubunmi Tunji Ojo became a member of the House of Representatives in June 2019. If the certificate is genuine, why did your organisation mobilise him for national service at the same time that he was serving in Nigeria’s parliament full-time?
Tunji Ojo
“If the certificate is genuine, in what organisation did he carry out his primary assignment? What was his community development service project? Through which bank was he paid allowances? Did he participate in the orientation programme signalling the commencement of Service, and the passing-out parade signalling the completion of service?
“We are requesting this information under the Freedom of Information Act, and we trust that you will revert to us within the period stipulated by the law.”
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