JAMB Clarifies Candidate Profile ‘Suspension’ as Automated System Lock to Obey Court Order

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has strongly dismissed recent reports alleging that it deliberately suspended the profile of a candidate, Monsuru Aliat Aduragbemi, in a purported act of contempt against a court order. The examination body clarified that the restriction was an automated mechanism employed to strictly comply with the court’s directive to maintain the status quo.

The controversy arose after the candidate, along with others, filed a suit against JAMB, the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), and the University of Lagos (UNILAG), over alleged irregularities in the Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (Post-UTME) exercise. A Federal High Court in Enugu subsequently granted an Ex Parte order directing all parties to maintain the current state of affairs pending the determination of the motion.

In a statement released on Sunday by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, JAMB labeled the allegations as “deliberate misinformation” orchestrated by “conflict entrepreneurs.” The board explained that the message of “suspension” that appeared on the candidate’s portal was a “usual programmed default message” that automatically pops up on any profile where alterations by the candidate, institution, or JAMB officials have been restricted.

“The suspension message being mischievously misrepresented is a usual programmed default message that pops up on any profile on which any alteration by the Board officials, institutions or candidate had been restricted,” the statement read.

JAMB further stressed that this restriction was necessary to comply with the judicial directive, stating that the lock applies equally to OAU and UNILAG, preventing them from completing their admission processes for the affected candidates. The body accused those behind the reports of resorting to “media blackmail” after their attempts to tamper with the status quo were unsuccessful, in a bid to force JAMB to violate the court order.

Reaffirming its position as a law-abiding government agency, JAMB stated its full commitment to upholding the rule of law and strict compliance with all judicial directives.