Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it will conduct additional mop-up examinations for candidates who missed the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja at a meeting with key stakeholders to address the challenges encountered during the 2025 UTME.

Oloyede said that the board would accommodate the estimated 5.

6 per cent of candidates who missed the examination by organising a special mop-up exercise.

He said that the board had extended the opportunity to all the affected candidates, regardless of the reasons for their absence.

“Normally, we hold one mop-up nationwide for those with one issue or the other.

“But this time, we are creating a new mop-up. Even those who missed the earlier examination due to absence, we will extend this opportunity to them.

“It is not that we are doing something extraordinary; in class, you make up an examination when students miss it for one reason or the other; we just don’t allow abuse of that.

“So we will allow all the candidates who missed the main examination for any reason to take part in this mop-up,” he said.

Oloyede criticised some public commentators who misunderstood and misrepresented the role of UTME, while clarifying that UTME was a placement test and not an achievement test.

According to him, the purpose of the examination is to rank candidates for available spaces in institutions and not to measure intelligence or overall academic potential.

The registrar further stated that high UTME score was not the sole determinant of admission, adding that combined performance, including post-UTME scores and school assessments, could significantly affect a candidate’s ranking.

While acknowledging the emotional strain experienced while announcing the UTME results, he noted that this was not indicative of an institutional weakness.

He expressed JAMB’s commitment to resolving issues affecting the examination process, even as he rejected comments suggesting that the administrative failure was due to incompetence or ethnic bias.

“I want to say this clearly, particularly because I accepted responsibility, not because I do not know how to do the work.

“I say it for the fourth time that no conspiracy theory is relevant to this case.

“Something happened; like people who have been doing something well for years and something just went wrong. That I should now throw them under the bus? No,” he said.

Oloyede, who frowned at those exploiting difficulties to promote ethnic or conspiracy-driven narratives, urged stakeholders to stop ethnic profiling in the education sector.

According to him, many of the criticisms of JAMB’s operations are rooted in ignorance.

The registrar, however, commended his team’s efforts, while also appreciating the resilience shown by candidates, many of whom, he said, had continued their exams, notwithstanding the various challenges. (NAN)

The police in Lagos on Friday arraigned a 32-year-old businessman, Wilfred Ochie, who allegedly robbed a man of two iPhones worth N4.5 million with  gun.

Ochie, who resides at 3, Eleda Avenue, Iba, Lagos State, appeared before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court on a two-count charge of conspiracy and robbery.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

According to the prosecutor, ASP Adegoke Ademigbuji, the defendant committed the offences on April 16 at Iba.

The prosecutor said that the defendant ordered two iPhone 16 Promax from the complainant, Mr Samuel Olotu, on jiji.com, on payment-on-delivery term.

The prosecutor said that when a rider went to deliver the phones, he was robbed at gunpoint.

Ademigbuji said that the defendant was tracked with the number he used to call the complainant.

The alleged offences contravene Sections 297 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs O. O. Kushanu, granted the defendant bail in the some of  N400,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Kushanu adjourned the case until June 19 for mention. (NAN)

 An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday remanded a 74- year-old man, Aderinsola Addiths, in Kirikiri Correctional Centre for allegedly defiling his neighbours ‘s teenage daughter.

Addiths a retiree, who resides at No. 1, Rafatu St., Balogun area, Iju Ishaga, Lagos is standing trial for defilement.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs O.

O Kushanu refused to listen to the accused plea, and ordered him to be remanded in the Kirikiri Correctional Centre until May 20 pending advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

The Prosecutor, ASP Adegoke Ademigbuji told the court that the offence was committed sometimes in 2024 and February 2025 at the accused residence.

Ademigbuji said that the victim, a 13-year-old girl was sent to buy sachet water by the accused and upon her arrival, he shut the door after her.

The prosecutor said that the septuagenarian defiled the girl.

The offence according to the prosecutor contravened section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.