CSO asks court to order Adeosun’s arrest over ‘forgery’ of NYSC exemption certificate

The Incorporated Trustees Of Global Integrity Crusade Network, a civil society organisation (CSO), has asked a federal high court in Abuja to order the arrest of Kemi Adeosun, former finance minister, over forgery allegations.

Adeosun resigned as minister in 2018 over the allegation that she presented a forged NYSC exemption certificate as part of her credentials.

Almost three years after she left office, Adeosun through her lawyer, Wole Olanipekun, approached the court seeking to determine whether or not she was qualified to hold a ministerial position in Nigeria.

Although the court was silent on the allegation that she forged the certificate, Taiwo Taiwo, the judge, held that the constitution does not require the former minister to present an NYSC certificate to hold public office.

The court also held that Adeosun, “not being a citizen of Nigeria in 1989 when she graduated from the University of East London, UK, was not eligible to participate in the National Youth Service Scheme”.

However, in the new suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/732/2021, the CSO said Adeosun fraudulently used a fake NYSC exemption certificate for attaining the various positions she occupied in Nigeria.

Joined as defendants in the suit are the director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS) and inspector-general of police.

The plaintiff, through its lawyer, Esther Wuese Iorhuna, prayed for an injunction restraining Adeosun from travelling out of the country to take refuge in another country.

The plaintiff is asking for “a declaration that the 1st and 2nd defendants are under legal duty to arrest and prosecute Mrs Kemi Adeosun, for fraudulently using a fake National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) exemption certificate and intentionally giving false evidence before Ogun state house of assembly as well as the 1st defendant between 2011 to 2015 for purposes of screening into the positions of the commissioner of finance and minister of finance, respectively”.

The CSO is also seeking a declaration that the failure of the DSS and IGP to arrest and prosecute the former minister “portrays her as a sacred cow and tantamount to dereliction of duties imposed on the 1st and 2nd defendants under the relevant laws”.