FCTA Director Faces Forgery Scandal as Kwara Polytechnic Disowns Certificate Used for Career Advancement

A senior official of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Mr. Nwankwoeze Williamson Chijioke, is facing allegations of certificate forgery after the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, denied issuing him an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) statement of result he allegedly used to build his academic and professional career.

Chijioke, who currently serves as Director of Lands in the Mass Housing Department of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), is accused of using the disputed OND certificate to gain admission into the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Architectural Technology. He is also said to have used the same foundation to acquire further degrees, including a Bachelor’s from the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, and a Master’s degree in an undisclosed field.

Documents published by Sahara Reporters revealed that Kwara State Polytechnic, in a formal response dated March 12, 2025, categorically disowned the OND certificate. The institution, through a letter signed by Deputy Registrar (Examinations and Records) Ibrahim Eletu Saka, described the result as “fake,” stating that it did not originate from the school.

Following the confirmation, a civic accountability group, Dependable Patriots for Nation Building and Transformation Initiative (DPNBTI), petitioned several authorities, including the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, and the Presidency. The group demanded an investigation and prosecution of Chijioke for forgery, perjury, and conspiracy.

In the petition dated July 2, 2025, the group alleged that the official used the falsified result, dated January 16, 1997, to gain admission and subsequent employment in the civil service. It cited sections of the Nigerian Criminal Code prescribing a three-year prison term for forgery and fourteen years for perjury, urging the authorities to recover all financial benefits derived from the alleged deception.

Despite the seriousness of the allegations, no concrete action was reportedly taken months after the petition was filed. Frustrated by the inaction, DPNBTI approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, filing a motion to compel the police to investigate and prosecute the matter.

The suit, filed under number FHC/ABJ/CS/2050/2025, lists the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, and Mr. Nwankwoeze Williamson Chijioke as defendants. It seeks an order of mandamus compelling the police to act on the forgery allegations, as well as an order for substituted service to allow court documents to be served through alternative means.

Counsel to the petitioners described the case as a “test of institutional accountability,” arguing that failure to act on clear evidence of forgery undermines the rule of law and public trust in government institutions.

The case, filed on September 23, 2025, has been assigned to a Federal High Court judge for hearing. It adds to a growing list of certificate forgery scandals within Nigeria’s public service, highlighting persistent issues of corruption, weak verification systems, and the erosion of meritocracy in public administration.