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.
News
BREAKING: Human Rights Lawyer Dele Farotimi Released
By Gloria Ikibah
Prominent human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, has been released after fulfilling his bail conditions.
Farotimi, who had been in custody over allegations of defaming Senior Advocate of Nigeria and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Afe Babalola, regained his freedom on Tuesday morning.
He is currently enroute to his home in Lagos.
Confirming the development, activist and politician Omoyele Sowore stated on X, “I am pleased to report that Dele Farotimi is no longer being held in the prison facilities of Ekiti State and is now returning home to Lagos. The struggle continues!”
Earlier, a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ado Ekiti granted Farotimi bail, setting conditions that included a N30 million bond, two sureties (one of whom must be a property owner), the submission of his passport, and a restriction on granting media interviews following his release.
News
NASC backpedals reverses Atiku’s appointment as DCNA, replaces him with Yero
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Following the intervention by the National Assembly leadership, the National Assembly Service Commission, NASC, has reversed the appointment of Dr Ibrahim Atiku as Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly, DCNA.
The Commission has replaced Atiku with the permanent secretary [Estate and Works Directorate], Engineer Bashir Yero.
This was consequent upon the outcome of a meeting convened Monday night by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, with Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and their deputies in attendance.
Present also at the meeting were the Chairman of the NASC, Engineer Ahmed Amshi, two commissioners from NASC, and some permanent secretaries in the NASS bureaucracy.
THE CONCLAVE learnt that the high-level meeting took place in the Senate President’s residence.
Reports from the meeting said that the chairman of the NASC and his commissioners could not justify the appointment of Atiku when asked by the speaker how the choice of Atiku was arrived at.
THE CONCLAVE reports that it was at that point that the commission chairman sought the leave of the Senate President and the Speaker to ask that the permanent secretaries present should excuse them since they could not be sitting over a matter in which they had personal interest.
Upon their return to the room, after the leadership had arrived at a resolution one way or another, it was agreed that Engr. Bashir Yero of Estate and Works Directorate be appointed the DCNA, while Engr Sanda Liman of Procurement Directorate, be redeployed in Estate and Works.
The newly promoted Ibrahim Atiku [to the position of permanent secretary], as resolved and directed, should be deployed in Procurement Directorate.
The NASC is expected to formalise and/or activate the decision soonest.
Source: CONCLAVE
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