How undercover reporter enrolled twice, NYSC explains

The Director, Press and Public Relations, National Youth Service Corps, Eddy Megwa, has explained that an investigative reporter who registered twice for the scheme was able to do so by using alternate details.

An investigative reporter, Umar Audu, had revealed how he obtained a degree from a Cotonou-based university within six weeks, before proceeding on the mandatory one-year service with the NYSC.

In his report, Audu had detailed how the portal had flagged his initial attempt to register with his previous details, and how the registration went through after he used a different email and phone number.

“NYSC seemingly lacked a digital tool to flag attempts to participate in the scheme twice or more,” he said.

Speaking on the development, Megwa stated that the undercover reporter succeeded because he was “out for a particular purpose”, adding that the NYSC was working to ensure it didn’t happen again.

“It is not that we don’t have checks and balances in place to detect possible breaches of the system. When the undercover reporter first put in his data, the system rejected him because he had served in the scheme before. He later changed his email address and his phone number which made the system to accept him. And he was initially posted to Osun State.

“He did that because he was out for a particular purpose. We are looking at the situation and will ensure that it does not happen again,” he said.

The NYSC spokesperson also explained that the scheme’s integrated ICT system is “evolving” to be able to flag and detect multiple registrations, adding that the scheme conducted biometric and physical verification for foreign-trained graduates.

“In this instance, for the foreign-trained graduates, we don’t have a database that we use in assessing them. What we require is for them to give us their certificates, and then of course upload their details in our system.

“When we see the details they have uploaded on our sytem, we will now invite them for physical verification. And that is the point where we authenticate whether they actually graduated from that claimed institution or not,” he said.

Megwa also said the scheme was collaborating with the National Identity Management Commission to integrate the use of the National Identity Number in registration, noting that the scheme would also collaborate with the Nigerian Immigration Service to prevent inappropriate stamping of passports.

“Three years ago, we had also enlisted that to ensure that your NIN number is part of your registration process so that even if you come 20 times, the system is going to fish you out.

“We also have the intention of collaborating with the Nigerian Immigration Service to synergise, so that the process of beating the Nigerian government by way of having their passports stamped inappropriately, all these things will be a thing of the past,” he added.