Ondo Youths Protest, Want Alleged Certificate Forgery by Minister Probed
A group of youths under the banner of Ondo Concerned Youths on Thursday morning gathered in Akure, the Ondo State capital, to protest alleged efforts to shield a serving minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from investigation over alleged forged academic credentials and a disputed National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate, insisting that accountability must apply regardless of status.
The protest began at the roundabout opposite First Bank along Alagbaka Road, where demonstrators assembled before marching toward the Governor’s Office in to formally submit their grievances.
The youths said the action was driven by concerns over integrity in public office and the need for transparent investigations into allegations they described as criminal.
Carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs, the protesters accused unnamed authorities linked to the minister of attempting to silence dissent through intimidation, arrests, and alleged inducements.
They argued that the controversy surrounding the credentials undermines public trust and should be addressed through due process rather than suppression of civic action.
Placards at the protest bore inscriptions including “Suspend and Investigate the Alleged Minister with Fake Credentials,” “DSS: Investigate the Minister, Not Owolemi,” “No to Fake NYSC and Certificates,” and “Credential Forgery Is a Crime, No One Is Above the Law.” Another read, “Ondo State Rejects Fake Credentials. We Stand for Integrity. Ondo Is for Tinubu.”
The group called on security and anti-corruption agencies particularly the Department of State Services (DSS) to focus investigations on the allegations themselves instead of activists who brought them to public attention.
They maintained that adherence to the rule of law would strengthen democratic accountability.
During the demonstration, security operatives were present to maintain order and as at the time of filling this report, neither the Ondo State Government nor relevant federal authorities had issued an official response to the protesters’ demands.
