Court grants approval to probe Interior Minister Tunji-Ojo’s academic credentials

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted permission to an activist, Mr. Emorioloye Owolemi, to inquire into the academic qualifications of the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

The approval was given by Justice Binta Nyako while ruling on an ex-parte application filed by the social crusader.

Owolemi had approached the court seeking an order that would allow him to investigate the Secondary School Certificate allegedly issued to the minister by the West African Examinations Council.

According to the activist, his request was based on alleged discrepancies in the minister’s academic records.

He urged the court to grant him permission to verify the authenticity of the certificate in the interest of transparency and accountability.

In granting the application, the court allowed the activist to proceed with his inquiry in line with the law.

However, in another development, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik also of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday refused a similar request by the activist to inquire into the discharge certificate said to have been issued to the minister by the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC.

The activist through his lead counsel, Mr Philemon Yakubu, SAN, had argued a motion ex-parte brought pursuant to Order 34 of the Federal High Court Civil Rules 2019, and sections 1, 20 and 21 of the Freedom of Information Act , 2011, to seek for permission to inquire into the legality or otherwise of the minister’s NYSC discharge certificate.

Specifically the activist applied for an order of mandamus to compel the National Youth Service Corps to supply to him, the information he requested in his letter of November 17, 2025, regarding the discharge certificate of the Minister of Interior in the custody of the organization.

Among others, the applicant also wanted the NYSC to supply him monthly clearance records, where the minister served before his alleged abscondment, bank account details, and financial information submitted by Tunji-Ojo all through his 2006 NYSC service, and all monthly allowance payment logs, including dates, amounts, bank schedule and the account to which payments were made.

Others are official NYSC documentation detailing the date, nature and status of the minister’s alleged abscondment and all internal memos, queries, disciplinary reports or correspondences issued in relation to the alleged abscondment as well as registration, posting, deployment and service documents associated with the minister’s 2006 service year.

However, Justice Abdulmalik after taking argument on the ex parte application, declined to grant the request.

The judge held that the applicant did not indicate that he was acting in the public interest as required by law.

Speaking with newsmen after the court ruling, Philemon Yakubu, SAN, said that he will consult with his client to determine the next line of action.

He said that the desire of his client is to ensure transparency, accountability and probity among the public office holders in the country.

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