The Lagos State University (LASU) management has responded to the widespread social media posts regarding a degree certificate reportedly discovered at a ‘suya’ spot in Lagos.
The university clarified that the certificate in question is invalid. In an official statement, LASU explained that the certificate, found on November 21, 2018, contained a misspelling of the graduate’s surname, making it invalid.
The document incorrectly listed the surname as “ABISOYE” instead of “ABIOYE.” This error led to the certificate’s invalidation on February 25, 2013.
The university further revealed that a corrected certificate with the proper surname was issued to the graduate and collected on September 30, 2014.
According to LASU’s policy, the invalidated certificate should have been destroyed immediately after the reissuance.
However, an oversight during the disposal process resulted in the certificate inadvertently entering the public space.
“The invalidated certificate entered the public space due to improper screening of office waste papers prior to disposal,” the statement concluded.
In response to the incident, LASU assured the public that measures have been put in place to prevent such occurrences in the future. The university emphasized its commitment to maintaining the integrity of its academic records and apologized for any confusion caused by the incident. This statement comes amid increasing concerns about the security of academic credentials and the potential misuse of invalid documents.
The university also stated that they are conducting a thorough investigation to identify how the error occurred and to ensure accountability within the administrative processes. They urged the public to report any similar findings to the university authorities immediately to help uphold the institution's standards and reputation.