We will prosecute varsities running unaccredited courses -- ICPC Chairman

(Nigeria) Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, says that it will begin to prosecute universities running courses that are not accredited by the National Universities Commission, NUC.

ICPC Chairman, Mr Ekpo Nta, said this in Abuja on Saturday, while speaking with journalists at a public lecture organised by the Abuja chapter of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, UIAA.

He also said the commission had arrested some officials running fake Nigerian Youth Service Corps, NYSC, orientation camps or recruiting fake NYSC members for the one-year compulsory service.

``We have arrested some of the officials involved in this and now, we are going back to even approved universities that are running unapproved programmes for these youths.

``If you give a young person admission to do run a programme that is not approved by NUC, knowing that he is not going to be accepted for NYSC; why then are you admitting him without telling him the consequences?

``When he finishes, he now decides to begin to play games to get fake NYSC camps and fake postings; when you start with a lie, you continue with a lie,’’ he said.

The ICPC chairman advised students seeking admission into higher institutions of learning to be sure that the institutions and courses they were applying for were approved by the NUC.

``Make sure it is an NUC-accredited course and you are entitled to run a master’s programme or participate in the NYSC afterwards. Make sure you don’t go and start producing fake certificates,’’ he added.

Nta, who was also the chairman of the lecture, also advised civil servants to start investing in profitable ventures, while they were still in service to enable them to have a secure future, rather than stealing public funds.

``Don’t wait until you retire because two things are involved; it is either you steal money and ICPC will be after you or you might be unlucky that somebody is stealing your pension.

``As I speak to you we are arresting on daily basis some people who are stealing pensions by creating accounts for ghost pensioners in the banks.

``It is important that you begin to invest no matter how small it may be, but be mindful of the civil service regulations which stipulate that you are not to entitled to run businesses aside from farming while you are in service,’’ he said.