Concerned Nigerians in the Diaspora (UK) have again urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, take immediate action regarding the growing controversy over the academic credentials of his Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
The group, led by Abanikanda Olumoro, issued the statement early Thursday December 4, 2025 following recent media reports that London Metropolitan University had acknowledged a Freedom of Information (FOI) request seeking clarification on Tunji-Ojo’s academic history.
According to a report titled “TUNJI-OJO: Credentials Controversy Deepens, as London Metropolitan University Receives FOI Petition on Tinubu’s Minister,” the university formally confirmed receiving a detailed FOI petition filed on November 17, 2025, by Valen Legal Practitioners.
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The FOI was submitted on behalf of Prince Emorioloye Owolemi of Ondo State, seeking verification of three claims publicly attributed to the Minister:
- That he gained admission into the University of North London (now London Metropolitan University) in 2002 for a B.Eng programme.
- That he graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering.
- That he obtained a Master’s degree from the institution in 2006.
The petitioners argued that because the claims were repeatedly made by a serving public official, the university had an obligation under the UK’s FOI Act to confirm or refute the records, barring privacy exemptions.
Concerned Nigerians in the Diaspora (UK) warned that any adverse response from the university could further damage Nigeria’s global image.
The group expressed fear that the controversy, if left unaddressed, could contribute to the United States potentially designating Nigeria as “the world’s most corrupt nation,” a development they argued would be disastrous at a time when the country is already struggling to shed its designation by Washington as a “Country of Particular Concern.”
While dismissing claims that Nigeria’s insecurity affects only Christians, the group stressed that communities across the country suffer in different ways, citing underreported attacks in the North and South West and separatist-linked violence in the South East.
“Whether Donald Trump’s claims of Christian genocide are accurate or not, President Tinubu should not wait for another international embarrassment before acting,” the group said. “The Minister must be directed to submit himself for investigation.”
The diaspora organisation also criticised what it described as the selective targetting of Northern political, traditional, and religious figures in ongoing corruption probes.
The statement urged President Tinubu to:
• Direct Minister Tunji-Ojo to step aside and submit to an independent investigation.
• Order the EFCC to halt selective investigations and conduct a comprehensive probe of all state fund releases from 2015 to date.
• Restore public confidence by ensuring that the anti-corruption campaign targets institutions rather than individuals based on political alignment.
The group concluded that Nigeria faces “another major international embarrassment” if the Interior Minister is allowed to continue in office amid unresolved allegations, and if the EFCC is not restrained from pursuing what they described as politically selective probes.
