By Adenike Lawal

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the commencement of the sale of application forms for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) for the 2026/2027 academic session.
The announcement was made in a photostatement signed by JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, and shared on the Board’s official X handle on Tuesday.
JAMB stated that candidates must be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, to be eligible for admission. Underage candidates may be considered only after a rigorous evaluation and must score at least 80 per cent across required assessments.
UTME registration will run from January 26 to February 28, 2026, while e-PIN vending begins January 19 and ends February 26, 2026. The 2026 UTME examination is scheduled for April 16 to 25, with the optional Mock-UTME holding on March 28.
For Direct Entry, sales and registration will take place from March 2 to April 25, 2026, exclusively at JAMB State and Zonal Offices.
JAMB fixed the cost of DE forms at ₦5,700, UTME without mock at ₦7,200, and UTME with mock at ₦8,700, urging candidates to comply strictly with the guidelines and timelines.

By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has directed tertiary institutions involved in irregular admission practices to immediately reverse such admissions.
JAMB said it discovered cases where higher-ranked candidates were bypassed for applicants with lower scores, describing the practice as a clear violation of admission guidelines. The directive was contained in the board’s weekly bulletin released on Monday in Abuja by its Public Communication Adviser, Fabian Benjamin.
The board said affected institutions have been formally cautioned and ordered to reverse the admissions. It reiterated that admissions must follow the approved three-tier framework of Merit, Catchment Area and Educationally Less Developed States, stressing that candidates must be selected strictly in descending order of ranking.
JAMB warned that skipping a better-ranked candidate for a lower-ranked one under any category would not be tolerated.
Meanwhile, the board dismissed a complaint by a candidate who alleged unfair denial of admission by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, saying investigations showed she did not rank high enough to qualify within the institution’s quota.
JAMB reaffirmed its commitment to fairness and transparency and advised candidates to seek clarification through official channels rather than spreading unverified claims on social media.

By Omoniyi David

Several students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, are feared dead, while many others sustained injuries on Saturday after police officers and soldiers allegedly opened fire on protesters demanding an end to rising insecurity and kidnappings in the area.
The incident sparked outrage on social media after a user shared accounts on X alleging that security operatives fired live ammunition at unarmed students, leaving several wounded and others in critical condition.
Eyewitnesses said the protest, organised by students and local residents, was peaceful before security personnel reportedly moved in, firing shots and arresting protesters, including some allegedly picked up from their hostels.
The incident has drawn widespread condemnation from students’ groups and human rights advocates, who described the crackdown as excessive and unacceptable. They have called for an immediate investigation into the conduct of the security agencies and demanded accountability, as well as improved measures to address insecurity in Ekpoma and protect students and residents.