The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on Monday honoured one of its staff members, Gbenga Adebayo, who risked his life to deliver ransom to kidnappers to secure the release of abducted colleagues.
Adebayo, a senior driver with the board, was recognised for what the Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, described as an extraordinary act of courage during a kidnapping incident involving JAMB staff.
The recognition came during the board’s annual policy meeting on admissions, attended by heads of tertiary institutions and chaired by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa.
Oloyede disclosed that Adebayo volunteered to deliver ransom after others declined due to safety concerns.
He recounted that the mission turned perilous as gunfire erupted at the exchange point, leaving the vehicle riddled with bullets. Despite the chaos, Adebayo returned alive, and the abducted staff were eventually freed.
“Everyone was afraid. Even family members discouraged those considered for the task. But he stepped forward and went,” Oloyede said.
The registrar further revealed that only part of the ransom reached the kidnappers, yet it was sufficient to secure the victims’ release.
The disclosure appears to contradict the Federal Government’s long-held position that it does not pay ransom to kidnappers or bandits.
Others honoured for integrity, innovation
In the same vein, the board celebrated other staff members for outstanding service and innovation in tackling examination malpractice.
Among them was Moduoluwa Aloba, a Lagos-based staff member praised for her dedication, which Oloyede said was instrumental in retaining JAMB’s operational presence in the state.
“When others retreated, she stood firm. That is why we still have our facility in Ogba today,” he said, adding that the board has proposed naming the centre after her, subject to government approval.
Also recognised were three staff members—Muzammil Bello, Dubem Ikechukwu, and Auwal Bello—credited with developing internal solutions that helped uncover and dismantle organised examination fraud syndicates.
Oloyede noted that at the height of the crisis, external consultants demanded as much as N140 million to address the malpractice, a cost beyond his approval threshold.
However, the trio devised cost-effective strategies that led to the arrest and prosecution of suspects now serving jail terms.
He disclosed that the board has recommended financial rewards for the team, pending approval by the Ministry of Education.
The honours, according to JAMB, underscore its commitment to integrity, staff welfare, and the ongoing fight against examination malpractice across the country.
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