There was mild drama at the National Assembly on Wednesday after representatives of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) abruptly walked out during a meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, was absent from the session and sent Mufutau Bello, a Director at the agency, to represent him.
Tension erupted when Bello insisted that journalists be excused from the meeting, claiming the documents he intended to present contained sensitive information. The Committee, however, declined the request, maintaining that its proceedings were public and that it had constitutional authority to determine how its sittings were conducted.
In a dramatic twist, Bello, visibly agitated, ordered his delegation to leave the room and walked out of the session, a move that left lawmakers stunned.
Angered by the walkout, members of the Committee instructed the Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest the JAMB officials, but they had already exited the National Assembly premises before any action could be taken.
The Committee has now ordered the JAMB Registrar to appear in person with his full management team and all requested documents by Tuesday next week. Lawmakers warned that failure to comply could result in the issuance of a warrant of arrest.
What You Should Know
The clash between JAMB and the House Committee underscores rising tensions over transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s education sector.
Lawmakers are probing examination and admission processes, while JAMB maintains that certain internal documents contain sensitive material requiring confidentiality.
