DSS gives crucial testimony in court over gov Mbah’s alleged NYSC certificate forgery case

A Department of State Security (DSS) witness has refuted claims that Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State forged his National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.

Reports by The Nation revealed that the DSS made this claim in a statement tendered to the Enugu Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday, July 19.

It was gathered by Legit.ng that the NYSC had misplaced Mbah’s original file and opened a temporary one for him after he had returned from Law School to complete his NYSC.

Yahaya Isa Mohammed, the DSS Deputy Director, Operations and Strategic Department, was said to have revealed this in a statement on oath at the tribunal.

He said: “Mbah served for six months and went to Law School and later completed his youth service.

“We discovered that Peter brought application from Law School through the Lagos State NYSC office to national headquarters.

“The correspondence has a reference number and the letter was replied permitting him to go to law school. After his Law School, he reapplied through the same means for reinstatement to complete his service"

DSS says NYSC complacent

Mohammed was subpoenaed to give evidence in defence of Mbah’s NYSC certificate. He further disclosed that the NYSC’s complacency cost Mbah his records as they were unable to trace to whom or which state or states of the federation 12 of its certificates, A808297 to A808308, were issued, adding that the security agency commenced investigation into the discharge certificate controversy following a petition to it by Dr Mbah dated February 8, 2023.

Mohammed further emphasised NYSC’s complacency, stating that it caused the certificate forgery saga in the first instance.

He said: “We discovered a temporary file was used for reference. That means his initial file could not be traced.

“NYSC provided the six-series certificate which was signed and collected by corps members.

“We discovered that the numbers are in series. But NYSC could not account for 12 certificates among which includes Mbah’s certificate”.

Petitioner questions legit status of DSS report

Meanwhile, the petitioner (Labour Party), through its counsel, Adegoke Awomolo (SAN), observed that the report tendered by the DSS witness before the tribunal did not contain the letterhead of the security agency nor its stamp.

Awomolo flagged it, stating that it was against conventional legal practice while also seeking the reason for the commission from the respondent.

When asked by the petitioner why an authorised letter or directive by the director general of the DSS was not presented in court, Mohammed said he appeared in court because of the subpoena.