JAMB responds as Nigerians jump to the defence of highest scoring JAMB candidate after he was accused of being a mercenary

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has denied engaging in “witch-hunting” after the exam body was accused of targeting Chinedu Okeke. Chinedu Okeke, a candidate in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), achieved the highest score of this year’s university entrance exam with a score of 375 out of 400. However, Educare CEO Alex Onyia revealed earlier today, July 10, that Chinedu Okeke was being accused of being a mercenary because he had taken the entrance exam in 2021 and was accepted into the university where he is now pursuing a degree in medicine and surgery. Onyia says that after three years of studying medicine, Chinedu decided he wanted to switch to mechanical engineering and retook JAMB. But because of this action, he was accused of being a mercenary, Onyia said. X users were outraged by this and accused JAMB of witch-hunting.  JAMB responded by calling the public’s support for Chinedu Okeke a tale of emotional blackmail. “First of all, it is not true to say that Chinedu Okeke is from Anambra State. All available records indicate that he is from Amuwo-Odofin Local Government in Lagos State, where he sat for the 2021 UTME as he then claimed in his details filled with NIMC,” the entrance exam body said in a statement signed by Fabian Benjamin, PCA,”Based on this, he gained admission to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and is currently in his fourth year.” JAMB added that UNN records show Okeke is still an undergraduate at the institution. JAMB said: “A review of his student records from the university has not yet contradicted this information and this as it were raises significant questions as to why a 400-level medical student would suddenly pivot to studying Mechanical Engineering in 2025 while still enrolled in his original programme, especially given the inconsistencies in his personal claims which should form his identity.” JAMB added that they have not received any contrary information from UNN regarding Chinedu Okeke’s enrolment as a student. The statement continues: “As of now, the university has not stated anything to the contrary. “Once we receive such confirmation, we will promptly notify the Medical and Dental Council to consider delisting him, until that is done, the Board would continue to treat Chinedu with all the dignity he deserves as a bona fide student of one of Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.” “As a statutory agency, JAMB remains committed to its mandate of ensuring that no candidate exploits loopholes for personal gain,” the statememt adds. “The facts are clear: Chinedu took advantage of Lagos State’s quota in 2021, thereby obstructing the admission opportunities for other deserving candidates from the state. “Furthermore, he attempted to manipulate his details with the NIMC to unjustly claim representation from Anambra State in 2025. “The Board will not be swayed by the antics of attention-seekers as it diligently performs its duty to ensure that our future leaders are truly deserving in both learning and character.” After JAMB shared the statement on X, Nigerians took to the replies to ask when it became a crime to retake JAMB in order to change course of study in the university.  See the full statement below.  The post JAMB responds as Nigerians jump to the defence of highest scoring JAMB candidate after he was accused of being a mercenary appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.