The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has reactivated the portal of Jamiu Basola, a Civil Engineering graduate from the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), following a previous claim that he gained admission through illegitimate means.
Basola, who earned a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.41 and graduated in 2024, said he wrote the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in 2017 and secured admission into FUTA in 2018.
However, during his final clearance, he was informed by the Student Affairs Division that his mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) had been rejected.
He recounted: “I was advised to verify my details on the JAMB matriculation list, which indicated fake admission.”
Basola said his efforts to access his JAMB portal were unsuccessful for several months.
In response, he wrote letters to key FUTA officials, including the registrar, vice-chancellor, and chairman of the admissions committee, seeking help to resolve the issue.
In a phone interview on Monday, Basola confirmed that progress had finally been made. “My portal was locked. But now, I am able to log in; I can now reprint,” he said. “Though I had some of the documents before, I was able to reprint my documents again. My name was not on the matriculation list, but now it has changed.”
While his NYSC mobilisation is still pending, Basola described the update as a major breakthrough in a frustrating journey.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) also confirmed the development in a statement issued on Monday by its National Public Relations Officer, Adeyemi Ajasa.
He described the resolution as a milestone for justice and student advocacy, crediting the outcome to strong pressure from NANS leadership.
“This positive development is a direct result of the decisive intervention by the NANS national leadership, led by the astute President, Comrade Olushola Oladoja,” Ajasa stated.
He further said: “Jamiu’s academic dedication was regrettably challenged by a ‘fake admission’ flag after years of diligent study. His fight was indeed our fight, and his victory is a triumph for every Nigerian student.”
Ajasa also praised the role of the FUTA Civil Engineering Department, which wrote to JAMB to clarify Basola’s admission status, helping pave the way for the resolution.
“This resolution underscores the power of collective action and NANS’s unwavering commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of Nigerian students,” he added.
NANS assured that it would continue monitoring the case to ensure Basola is included in the next NYSC mobilisation batch.
“We reaffirm our commitment to holding institutions accountable and ensuring that such avoidable predicaments do not recur. The lives and academic pursuits of Nigerian students are not bargaining chips,” Ajasa said.
Background: JAMB’s Initial Denial
Basola’s case went viral after he shared his ordeal on social media, stating that JAMB had discredited his admission nearly seven years after it was granted.
The Board initially responded through its Public Communication Adviser, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, denying any record of Basola in its system.
According to JAMB, “Basola remained an unknown entity to the Board concerning admission,” and the admission letter he presented “did not emanate from its system.”
The Board also cautioned against using sympathy to sway public opinion: “The narrative of him being an orphan or from a disadvantaged background should not serve as emotional leverage in this matter.” JAMB then urged Basola to disclose how he obtained the questionable document.
With the portal now reactivated and Basola’s name appearing on the matriculation list, attention turns to his NYSC mobilisation as the final step in resolving the saga.