The federal government has given its first known public remark on the certificate forgery scandal involving the finance minister, Kemi Adeosun.

Mrs Adeosun failed to take part in the compulsory national service after university graduation, but later obtained a forged NYSC certificate with which she has taken up top profile government positions, a PREMIUM TIMES investigation showed.

Mrs Adeosun is yet to comment four days after the exclusive report was published.

The National Youth Service Scheme, which administers the one-year service, on Monday released a vague statement that effectively confirmed the scandal. It claimed investigations were still ongoing.

Pressed Wednesday by PREMIUM TIMES at the presidential villa in Abuja, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said he had nothing further to add to the NYSC’s position.

“I have nothing to add to what the NYSC has said. The NYSC is part of government and it has spoken,” Mr Mohammed said.

It is the government’s first public comment on the case.

Several calls and request for information to different officials have gone unanswered in the past days.

Nigerians and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party have warned the government against sweeping the matter under the carpet.