The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has stated that it did not approve the admission of a graduate from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, named Basola Jamiu Owodunni, because, according to the board, his records could not be located in its Central Admissions Processing System.
This was revealed by JAMB on Sunday in a statement signed by its Public Communication Adviser, Fabian Benjamin, in response to Basola’s claim on social media that the board had invalidated his university admission seven years after he began his academic programme.
Basola explained that he took part in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in 2017 and gained admission into FUTA in 2018 to study Civil Engineering, graduating in 2024 with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.41.
He stated that the problem began after he completed his final clearance, when the student affairs office informed him that his application for mobilisation into the National Youth Service Corps had been declined.
“I was advised to verify my details on the JAMB matriculation list, which indicated fake admission,” he said.
Basola noted that after several unsuccessful attempts to access his JAMB portal, he decided to go to a JAMB office, where he was told that he should be handed over to the Department of State Services for investigation.
“After visiting the JAMB office without any positive outcome, my only option seemed to be to submit myself to DSS for questioning, hoping that this would help fast-track the resolution process,” he said.
He recounted that he spent several hours in the custody of both the DSS and the police, and was eventually released after a friend intervened.
According to Basola in his video, a representative from FUTA’s admissions office presented documentation to the police which showed that the university had properly recommended his admission.
Basola mentioned that the police had promised to forward a report to the Commissioner of Police in Abuja, but at the time he recorded the video, the JAMB headquarters had yet to issue a response.
He further said that he had sent letters to various FUTA officials, such as the registrar, the vice-chancellor, and the chairman of the admissions committee, pleading for their intervention.
“I feel incapacitated, and it seems my university officials are also uncertain on what step to take,” Basola said.
However, Benjamin, in the official JAMB statement, said, “The Board does not have the authority to propose or recommend candidates for admission. It only approves those recommended by the institutions.”
“While there may be no dispute regarding his attendance at the university in question, JAMB asserts that he is not admitted by its records as he did not follow due process, and the Board lacks the power to insert him on the platform for him to be visible to the NYSC and other stakeholders.”
JAMB insisted that Basola is still “an unknown entity to the Board concerning admission,” and stated that “the narrative of him being an orphan or from a disadvantaged background should not serve as emotional leverage in this matter.”
The Board also alleged that Basola was holding a document not issued through its system and urged him to explain how he acquired it to help clarify the situation.
“This serves as a reminder that candidates should only accept admission offers that are first processed through CAPS and printed accordingly,” the statement added.
In its statement, JAMB reassured the public that it would provide support to Basola if it is confirmed that he acted lawfully.
“One of our core philosophies is to protect the rights of all candidates against exploitation, and we will not hesitate to support Basola if he is found to be in compliance with the law,” the statement said.
