THE Department of State Security – DSS, has dismissed claims by the National Youth Service Corps – NYSC, that Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, forged his NYSC discharge certificate.
Mba was the candidate who represented the Peoples Democratic Party – PDP, in the March 18 governorship election.
“The failure of the NYSC to maintain a proper record-keeping system was the cause of its inability to trace Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s initial certificate”, adding “It would be wrong for the NYSC to blame Peter Ndubuisi Mbah for its own failure in record keeping,’’ DSS representative, Yahaya Isa Mohammed, said at the ongoing Enugu State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday.
According to the DSS made its position known in a written statement on oath adopted by its representative, Mr Yahaya Isa Mohammed, at the ongoing Enugu State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal as Mbah called two witnesses to open his defence on Wednesday.
The DSS Deputy Director, Operations and Strategic Department said the security agency commenced an investigation into the discharge certificate controversy, following a petition to it by Mbah dated February 8, 2023.
The DSS said the certificates in a series that included Mbah’s were found to have been issued to Corps members in Lagos, contrary to the NYSC’s claim.
Mohammed said the investigation revealed: “That there were exchanges of correspondences between Mbah and the NYSC at every stage of their interactions. Mbah did not take any action without the NYSC’s approval.
“That Mbah’s file with the NYSC got missing at some point in time and NYSC started using a temporary file for him. For instance, in NYSC response to his application for deferment, the file number was LA/10/1532, while in their response to his remobilization application, the file number was LA/01/1532/T.
“That there was a mix-up in his record as a result of the missing file.
“That the difference in Mbah’s certificate number compared to others that were mobilised at the same time, is due to the inability of NYSC to trace the initial file where the first certificate A678 was.”
He added that “from the documents presented by NYSC regarding certificate numbers, about twelve (12) certificate numbers (A808297-A808308) which include that of Mbah, remained unaccounted for in the eight (8) series by the NYSC.”
“That the law firm, Udeh &Associates where Mbah served, cleared him for his monthly clearance for eleven (11) months covering January-June, 2002 and May-August, 2003 as well as his final clearance in September, 2003 covering the period of his first mobilisation and reinstatement indicated that he served, hence no need for him to forge certificate,’’ Mohammed stated further stated,
.“That NYSC did not do a thorough job before concluding that the certificate Mbah presented is fake.
“That the Director Corps Certification (Ibrahim Muhammad) failed to exploit all available avenues to ensure that due diligence was done before issuing a statement on the matter.
“That against NYSC claim that “8 Series” Certificates were not issued in Lagos State, upon insistence by the Service for them to check their records properly, certificates in that series were discovered to have issued to some Corps members who served in Lagos State.
“That NYSC did not have a proper record. This resulted in the misplacement of Mbah’s initial file by NYSC and the use of temporary file for him as well as its inability to trace whom or which State(s) twelve (12) of its certificates (A808297 to A808308) were issued.
“That all through Mbah’s service year, from the first mobilisation to his service reinstatement after his Bar Final examination, Udeh & Associates where he did his primary assignment, issued him clearance letters on a monthly basis.
“That NYSC certificate series are not based on State of service, as all certificate series including the “8-Series” were issued in all the States of the federation as against NYSC’s claim that its certificates series are State-based.
“That the claim by Muhammad (NYSC Director of Corps Certification) that Mbah’s supposed ‘6-Series’ certificate was part of the certificates shredded/destroyed by the NYSC negates the claim that he did not serve, as it is impossible to produce the said shredded certificate for Mbah, if he did not serve”.