By Obasola Olatunde
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has commended the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, for his outstanding leadership in repositioning the nation’s foremost intelligence agency within just one year in office.
In a statement signed by the Assistant Secretary General of the association, Comrade Adejuwon Olatunji Emmanuel, NANS praised the DSS boss for instilling renewed discipline, professionalism, and efficiency in the Service, describing his first year as “a period of quiet but impactful reforms that have restored morale and improved synergy among security agencies.”
According to NANS, Ajayi’s tenure has been marked by inclusion, transparency, and merit based appointments that have fostered unity and competence within the DSS. “His drive for diversity, gender balance, and recruitment integrity has revived a sense of purpose and professionalism among officers,” the statement read.
However, while commending his achievements, NANS charged Mr. Ajayi to deploy the DSS’s institutional capacity to combat what it described as a “deepening national crisis” the scourge of certificate forgery in Nigeria’s public service and political space.
The student body warned that the growing prevalence of forged academic certificates among government officials poses a grave threat to Nigeria’s moral fabric, educational integrity, and international image.
“Certificate forgery is not just an administrative offence; it is a national security threat that undermines governance, erodes public trust, and devalues the worth of legitimate academic achievements,” NANS declared.
Citing the recent case involving an official of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Mr. Nwankwoeze Williamson Chijioke, accused of forging his Ordinary National Diploma (OND) from Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, the association called for a comprehensive institutional response.
It also referenced past scandals involving high profile resignations including former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Salisu Buhari (1999), former Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun (2018), and other recent public officers as evidence that the problem is systemic and long overdue for decisive action.
The student body urged the DSS to collaborate with key institutions such as the Ministry of Education, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and tertiary institutions to establish a digitized national certificate verification framework. Such a system, it noted, would make it easier to detect fake credentials and protect the reputation of Nigeria’s education system.
NANS further called for prompt investigation and prosecution of offenders to serve as deterrents, emphasizing that every case of forgery dishonors millions of hardworking students and graduates.
“As Nigerian students, we believe our education’s value is only as credible as the certificates we earn. Every forged document weakens the sacrifices of genuine graduates and undermines our national integrity,” the statement said.
While reaffirming support for Mr. Ajayi’s ongoing reforms, NANS stressed that his lasting legacy would be defined by how the DSS confronts moral corruption within the system.
“The DSS has done well under Mr. Ajayi’s leadership, but the next critical step is to wage an institutional war against certificate forgery. That will not only strengthen public trust but also uphold Nigeria’s global reputation for educational excellence,” it added.