JAMB Reinstates Admission Status of FUTA Graduate After ‘Fake Admission’ Saga

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has reinstated the admission record of Jamiu Basola, a Civil Engineering graduate from the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), following months of dispute over the authenticity of his admission.

Naija News gathered that Basola, who completed his degree in 2024 with a commendable CGPA of 4.41, encountered obstacles during his final clearance for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) when JAMB flagged his admission as invalid, claiming it did not originate from its system.

Basola, who sat for the UTME in 2017 and was admitted in 2018, revealed that his name was missing from JAMB’s matriculation list—a prerequisite for NYSC mobilisation. This discovery halted his NYSC processing, prompting him to petition FUTA officials and launch a series of appeals.

In a phone interview on Monday, Basola confirmed that his admission portal had been reactivated and his name now appears on the JAMB matriculation list, restoring hope for his NYSC mobilisation.

“My portal had been inaccessible, but it has now been restored. I was able to reprint my documents, and my name is finally on the matriculation list,” he said.

Although yet to be mobilised for NYSC, Basola expressed optimism that this resolution clears the path for his participation in the next service batch.

NANS Welcomes Outcome, Pledges Continued Advocacy

Reacting to the development, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) hailed the outcome as a milestone for student advocacy and justice. In a statement issued Monday, NANS National PRO, Adeyemi Ajasa, praised the intervention of the association’s national leadership.

“Jamiu’s ordeal represented a larger struggle for Nigerian students. His perseverance, matched by our support, has culminated in this breakthrough,” the statement read.

Ajasa also commended FUTA’s Civil Engineering Department for intervening by officially writing to JAMB to confirm Basola’s legitimate admission.

He further assured that NANS would remain actively involved until Basola is successfully mobilised for national service.

JAMB’s Previous Position

The controversy gained traction after Basola shared his experience online, revealing JAMB’s claim that he was not officially admitted. JAMB’s Public Communication Adviser, Fabian Benjamin, initially stated that Basola’s name was not in their records and described the admission letter he presented as unauthorised.

The board criticized the emotional framing of the case, asserting that personal background should not influence the verification process.

JAMB had insisted on a fact-based resolution, demanding that Basola account for the origin of the questionable documentation.

Moving Forward

Now that JAMB has restored Basola’s status, the focus shifts to ensuring a smooth NYSC mobilisation process. However, the case has reignited concerns about data management, institutional accountability, and inter-agency communication within Nigeria’s higher education system.

NANS reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring transparency in university admissions and protecting students from administrative lapses.

“We will continue to hold institutions accountable. The academic future of Nigerian students must not be subjected to systemic errors,” Ajasa stated.