A viral press statement claimed that Nigeria’s former finance minister Kemi Adeosun, who was caught in an NYSC certificate forgery scandal, got what appears to be a court clearance on Wednesday.

Recall Adesosun forged her NYSC certificate to be appointed minister in 2015.

In a Federal High Court verdict in Abuja on Wednesday, it was reported that the court cleared Kemi Adeosun, of the alleged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate forgery.

However, a fact check by Crystal News revealed that the court did not raise the issue of NYSC certificate forgery as the federal government has refused to prosecute her for that.

Interpretation Of Federal High Court Ruling On Kemi Adeosun

Crystal News reports that the court maintained that Adeosun did not breach any law by being appointed to the ministerial position in 2015 without participating in the NYSC scheme.

The issue of forgery was not brought before the court as the federal government has refused to prosecute her for that.

Taiwo Taiwo, the judge, held that Mrs. Adeosun, as of the time she graduated from a United Kingdom university at 22 in 1989, was a British citizen who was not qualified to participate in the scheme.

The judge added that when she returned to Nigeria and became a Nigerian citizen at over 30 years old, she was no longer eligible to participate in the NYSC scheme.

Mr. Taiwo ruled that the NYSC certificate was not a requirement for Mrs Adeosun to be appointed as a Nigerian minister or contest state or national assembly elections.

The judge did not review the forgery of an NYSC exemption certificate which Mrs. Adeosun procured for her screening ahead of her ministerial appointment in 2015.

“It is my finding, which was not challenged (by the Attorney General of the Federation) that by the time she (Adeosun) moved back to Nigeria in 2003, she was not eligible under the NYSC Act to serve in the National Youth Service Corps scheme.

“In fact, it would have been a criminal offence if she had participated in the NYSC under any guise.

Crystal News’ Verdict

• The court verdict did not clear Kemi Adeosun rather maintained that she did not breach any law by being appointed to the ministerial position in 2015 without participating in the NYSC scheme.
• Nigerian citizen over 30-years of age is no longer eligible to participate in NYSC scheme.