News
Underage candidates: JAMB to limit physical interactions with applicants
By Francesca Hangeior
As part of measures to prevent extortion and enhance service delivery, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board says it has concluded arrangements to fully automate its services to reduce physical contact with candidates.
The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said this had become important “given that many of the candidates who take the UTME are underage.”
This was noted in a bulletin of the board sighted by our correspondent on its website on Monday.
The bulletin quoted JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, as explaining that limiting physical contact would address issues of extortion and exploitation.
“Prof. Oloyede stated that given that many of the candidates who take the UTME are underage, the board is considering limiting physical contact with those with challenges to avoid any alleged issues of extortion and other forms of exploitation. He stated that in due course, interactions would be limited to online ones with calls recorded for effective monitoring and quality control,” the statement read.
It noted that “the board had received a series of reports bordering on some unwholesome practices, adding that a team had been deployed to investigate the claims, promising to make the findings known to all.
“He urged students who had accused some JAMB officials and other operatives such as CBT centres of extortion in the name of ‘regularisation’ or other services to provide credible evidence, adding that any staff found culpable would face the full wrath of the law.”
Meanwhile, Prof. Oloyede commended the staff of the board for their honesty and diligence, saying, “In terms of honesty, I can vouch for over 99 percent of JAMB staff, but any bad eggs will be identified and dealt with appropriately.”
A businesswoman, Mrs. Ifeanyi Eke, had in March filed a N100m suit against JAMB and three others before the Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged unsolicited and inappropriate text messages sent to her and her 15-year-old daughter.
Joined as co-respondents in the suit are Island Computer College Limited, one Mr. Jibola, and Regina Bassey.
On January 29, JAMB announced the arrest of some registration officers of a Computer-Based Test Centre in connection with a social media outburst by a mother who alleged that her 15-year-old daughter was being approached by a staff of the supposed centre via a chat on the X platform.
The mother, in her originating summons filed through her lawyer, Olumide Babalola, asked the court for a declaration that the sending of unsolicited and inappropriate text messages to her daughter by Mr. Ajibola constituted an interference with her daughter’s right to private and family life guaranteed by Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution.
President Bola Tinubu has accused organisers for the deadly stampedes that occurred during the distribution of relief materials in three states.
Recall in the past week, chaotic scenes in Ibadan, Anambra and Abuja led to the deaths of over 60 people, including children, as crowds scrambled for food items.
During a Presidential Media Chat on Monday, Tinubu described the events as a critical failure in planning and execution.
Condolences to those who lost a family member, but it is good to give. I have been giving out food stuff, commodities, etc. in Bourdillon.
“I am an organized person and that’s why I have been giving people food for the past 25 years and no incident has happened.
“Let this tragedy not affect us”, the Nigerian leader said.
The president also said he has no plans to reduce his cabinet or sack more ministers.
For the controversial tax reform bills, he said it has come to stay.
He also revealed he has no regrets removing fuel subsidy.
He declared utmost confidence in his security chiefs saying over the past decades, wanton killings has reduced drastically.
President Bola Tinubu will hold first presidential chat since assuming office on Monday night.
Accoding to a statement released by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the chat will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on the stations of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
All television and radio stations are requested to hook up to the broadcast.
“The first Presidential Media Chat with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on Monday, December 23, on the Nigerian Television Authority and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria.
“All television and radio stations are requested to hook up to the broadcast,” the statement.
The US President-elect took to the stage AmFest in Phoenix to talk about his contact with the Russian leader.
He told the crowd: “President Putin has said he want to meet with me as soon as possible.”
Trump went on to brand the war “horrible” and stated it needed to end. It is not known whether or not this meeting will take place in person. His comments at the event in the US come as Putin met with another world leader.
Putin held talks in the Kremlin today (December 22) with Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Fico arrived in Russia on a “working visit” and met with Putin one-on-one. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s RIA agency that the talks would focus on “the international situation” and Russian natural gas deliveries.
Visits and phone calls from European leaders to Putin have been rare since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine, although Hungary’s PM Viktor Orban visited Russia in July. Orban’s visit drew condemnation from Kyiv and European leaders.Fico’s views on Russia’s war on Ukraine differ sharply from most other European leaders. The Slovakian PM returned to power last year after his leftist party Smer (Direction) won parliamentary elections on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform. Since then, he has ended his country’s military aid for Ukraine, hit out at EU sanctions on Russia, and vowed to block Ukraine from joining NATO.
Just in: Tinubu exposes those behind deadly stampedes
Tinubu To Hold Maiden Presidential Media Chat Tonight
‘Putin waiting to meet me as soon as possible’ to end Ukraine war – Trump
Just in: Terrorists ambush military truck, kill all soldiers on board
Nigerian Dancer, Korra Obidi Attacked with acid, stabbed on stage In UK
Meet Rare Gem 16 Years Old Chiaza, CEO of ‘RUN MARKET PLACE’
-
News19 hours agoTinubu’s 50% transport reduction scheme may begin Tuesday
-
News14 hours agoBREAKING: FG declares Wednesday, Thursday public holidays for Christmas, New Year
-
News13 hours agoNigerian Man Who Rained Curses On President Tinubu Nabbed
-
Economy20 hours agoPetrol to sell at N935 per litre from today-IPMAN
-
News19 hours agoNigerian Govt promises support for stampede victims’ families
-
Foreign20 hours agoThere will be no same sex marriage again -Trump vows to end ‘transgender madness ‘
-
Metro19 hours agoWife flees after setting Ogun cop ablaze during dispute
-
News19 hours agoUmahi rules out compensation for bare land owners