The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has accused the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), of involvement in admission racketeering. The examination body welcomed the decision of the Senate to investigate these allegations, expressing confidence in being vindicated.
The Senate, prompted by a motion from Senator Onyeka Nwebonyi, agreed to probe admission racketeering in universities, citing the case of Chinyere Ekwe at UNN. The allegations suggested collusion between university staff and JAMB officials in unwholesome practices.
JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, commended the Senate for offering an opportunity to defend the exam body during this year’s Customer Service Week. Oloyede clarified that the affected candidate scored 291 in the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and applied to study Medicine and Surgery at UNN. However, despite being ranked 241 in the medical program’s applicant ranking, the university changed her course to Medical Laboratory.
According to Oloyede, the university admitted above its departmental quota in Medical Laboratory, and many other applicants, admitted ‘under the table,’ scored higher than Ekwe. JAMB’s Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) detected issues with the admission, as Ekwe’s ranking made her unlikely to be admitted.
Oloyede emphasized that if Ekwe has a letter of provisional admission, it is not from JAMB. He welcomed the Senate’s investigation, expressing JAMB’s cooperation and confidence in being vindicated. The Registrar highlighted the role JAMB plays in mediating between candidates and institutions to ensure equity.
