By Gift Chapi Odekina, Abuja
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially submitted all documents requested by the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies, marking a significant development in the ongoing investigation into the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) crisis. The submissions were made during a committee sitting at the National Assembly in Abuja.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Oboku Oforji, opened the session by recalling that the investigation originated from a resolution of the House following a motion of urgent public importance adopted on May 15, 2025. He emphasized that the probe aims to address the widespread challenges experienced during the 2025 UTME and to ensure the establishment of at least one Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre in each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
Hon. Oforji stated that the committee will carefully scrutinize JAMB’s implementation of its budget and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from 2023 to date. This includes reviewing evidence of remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) and the board’s bank statements for the same period. He stressed that the exercise is purely a constitutional oversight duty and not intended as a witch-hunt.
“We encourage all agencies to fully cooperate by responding to document requests and participating in our briefings. This cooperation is crucial for us to carry out our duties effectively as a Parliament,” Oforji said.
However, the committee chairman expressed disappointment over the conduct of some JAMB officials during a previous sitting on October 29, 2025, when a team led by Mr. Muftau Bello walked out after being asked to introduce themselves. “We condemn the action of the Board’s officials led by Mr. Muftau Bello. We will not allow ministries or agencies to intimidate or show disrespect to the Parliament,” he warned. Oforji also referenced Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, which empower lawmakers to conduct oversight on ministries and agencies.
Acknowledging the receipt of JAMB’s submissions, Oforji assured that the documents would be thoroughly reviewed. Speaking at the sitting, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, apologized for the earlier incident and distanced himself from the conduct of the officials involved.
“As someone who has served this country in various capacities, I have enormous respect for authorities, especially the Parliament. I would not do or allow anything that undermines its authority,” Oloyede stated. He confirmed that all documents demanded by the committee had been fully submitted.
The House Committee is expected to reconvene after completing a detailed review of the submissions, as it continues its probe into the challenges surrounding the 2025 UTME.