Controversy as JAMB bars FUTA graduate from NYSC mobilisation, declares admission illegal

A graduate of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Jamiu Basola, is currently unable to participate in the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has yet to mobilise him, saying his admission into the university was ‘illegal’.

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Mr Basola, who sat the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in 2017, said he secured admission to study Civil Engineering at FUTA later that year.

He graduated in December 2023 with Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.41 and completed his clearance with the university in May 2024 but has been unable to register for the mandatory NYSC as JAMB, which feeds graduates’ information to the NYSC declined to do so, insisting he was never admitted and couldn’t have graduated.

University confirms admission

In a statement by its spokesperson, Adegbenro Adebanjo, FUTA confirmed that the institution duly admitted Mr Basola.

The university noted that it had been invited by the police following a petition suggesting the admission might have been irregular.
FUTA said it submitted all relevant documentation to the authorities, and that the police concluded their investigation and forwarded the report to JAMB’s headquarters for further action.

The university added that it has also written to JAMB to notify the board of the legality of Mr Basola’s admission, but the board has yet to act on it.

“The Ball is now in the court of JAMB,” the university said.

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Graduate presents admission letter, JAMB says it’s fake

Mr Basola reportedly presented a JAMB admission letter printed in 2018. However, JAMB said the admission document with him did not originate from its system.

“It is crucial for him to disclose how he acquired this document, which would assist in clarifying his case,” JAMB said in a statement by its spokesperson Fabian Benjamin.

JAMB maintains that its primary role in the admission process is to verify that candidates recommended for admission by the institutions have the requisite qualifications needed for the academic programmes.

This is done through the three foundational principles of admission through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), a tripodal procedure that includes the institutions, the board and candidates.

JAMB deployed CAPS in 2017 and has since then used it for all admissions processes. The board has also repeatedly said that any admission conducted outside CAPS is illegal.

For the first three years (2017-2020), JAMB helped universities regularise admissions conducted outside CAPS. JAMB typically refers to such admissions as ‘illegal admission’ or ‘undisclosed admissions’

JAMB explained that it does not have the authority to recommend candidates for admission, but to approve those recommended by the institutions.

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“A candidate is recognised by JAMB only if he/she has fulfilled all necessary conditions and has been recommended by the institution. This is rooted in the legal framework that mandates no institution to admit any candidate without the Board’s approval,” JAMB said.

In the case of Mr Basola, JAMB said while there may be no dispute regarding his attendance at the university, the board’s records show that he is not admitted 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 no record indicates that Basola was processed for admission even through other channels.

“It is important for the public to understand this regulatory role, particularly in the case of Basola Jamiu Owodunni, who remains an unknown entity to the Board concerning admission,” it added.