In a dramatic turn of events, the Nigerian Senate has summoned the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Charles Igwe, to answer for alleged admissions racketeering.
The summoning comes after allegations of undisclosed admissions and unwholesome practices within JAMB, UNN, and other universities have surfaced.
This significant development was the result of a motion presented by Deputy Whip, Senator Peter Nwebonyi (APC, Ebonyi North), during a recent plenary session.
Senator Nwebonyi leveled accusations against certain JAMB officials, accusing them of collaborating with university admission officers in unscrupulous practices, particularly affecting students applying for professional courses such as Medicine and Surgery, Pharmacy, Law, Engineering, and Nursing Science.
Senator Nwebonyi brought to the Senate’s attention the case of Miss Chinyere Ekwe and 290 other students who had initially been admitted to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
However, their admissions were mysteriously revoked by JAMB, even after they had successfully completed the admission process and started their studies.
Miss Ekwe, a standout case, scored an impressive 291 in the 2019 UTME and 300 in the university’s post-UTME, meeting the requirements for the Medicine and Surgery program.
Despite this, she was transferred to the Department of Medical Laboratory Science under the pretext that if her cumulative grade point exceeded 4.5 points after the first year, she would be transferred back to Medicine and Surgery. Unfortunately, even after surpassing the 4.5 threshold, her admission status remains uncertain.
Senator Nwebonyi expressed deep concern that these provisional admission practices are being exploited to manipulate and frustrate talented young Nigerians, who are often the children and wards of ordinary citizens aspiring to gain admission to Nigerian universities. Such actions not only jeopardize the integrity of the education system but also discourage prospective students.
While Senator Nwebonyi sought to compel JAMB to reinstate Miss Ekwe’s admission to Medicine and Surgery without further delay, the Senate, in a unanimous decision, opted for a thorough investigation due to the gravity of the allegations raised.
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