The Federal government has been urged to take steps to fish out those occupying top management offices with fake university degrees and other certificates.

President International Human Rights Commission, Ecology and Marine, Africa, Alhaji Musa Saidu made the call in a chat with the Vanguard, stressing that the recent fake certificate scandal linked to a university in Benin Republic was an indication that many Nigerians in top government positions were holders of fake university degrees.

He said the government should commence a public probe of degrees paraded by those in high offices, particularly the degrees from foreign universities.

He said the public audit of certificates would help the government to have competent persons occupy positions, adding that some occupying some positions were misfits because they were not qualified for such offices.

He said holders of fake degrees in top management offices in public institutions were partly responsible for the nation's backwardness.

"This recent scandal around degrees from a university in Africa is a good revelation, it is a good one. Any one in a top government office that acquired a degree from outside should be investigated. This will help our anti-corruption drive.

"Because it is very sensitive, this will help us have the right people in the right offices. Let them speak French with those who understand the language, if possible on national television.

"Many people in government are involved. They have secured an undue advantage that they should not have.

"I have heard of this degree racketeering over twenty years ago. Many carry degrees in international languages they can't defend.

"For me as an international rights envoy, we must stop this fraud. It will help Nigeria ."We hear all kinds of degrees in their profiles but they are all fraud.

"Nigeria is in a mess. It is why Nigeria is not progressing because many of our leaders are parading fake degrees.

"With the wrong people in offices with fake degrees, how can we progress ?"