The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, awarded N5m damages against the National Youth Service Corps for alleging that the discharge certificate held by Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, was fake.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment, held that the Director General of the NYSC and the corps, who were defendants in the suit, were guilty of misrepresentation of material facts.
The judge held that the certificate presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission by Mbah was authentic and validly issued by the NYSC.
Justice Ekwo further held that the evidence before the court showed that the governor though was mobilised for service in 2001, completed his service in 2003.
According to the court, Mbah, midway into his service, sought and received permission from NYSC to attend the Nigerian Law School.
Besides, the judge said that while the evidence that Mbah served in the law firm of one Udeh was not challenged by the NYSC, he berated the corps for not charging the governor with forgery if they actually believed that they didn’t issue the said NYSC certificate to him.
He concluded that the NYSC was mischievous and acted in bad faith by denying Mbah’s NYSC certificate.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Mbah sued the NYSC and its Director, Corps Certification, Mr Ibrahim Muhammad, for publishing a disclaimer, denying the issuance of a discharge certificate issued to him on January 6, 2003.
Justice Ekwo, on May 15, restrained the NYSC, Muhammad and any of their agents from, henceforth, engaging in such publication pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter.