The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has vowed that stringent measures will be taken to prosecute any institution or candidate that is found to have breached the nation’s admission code of operation.
The board said these measures include ensuring that offenders are prosecuted by the security agencies once a prima facie case is established against them.
This was contained in the Weekly Bulletin of the board obtained on Monday in Abuja, as JAMB explained that the measures were part of the resolutions of the management of the Board aimed at ridding the admission process of unwholesome practices.
Registrar of JAMB, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, while elaborating on the measures put in place by the board to curb admission infractions, informed members of the management that though the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) had made the admission process transparent, fair and equitable, some stakeholders are working hard to circumvent the system.
He disclosed that the board as a body with zero-tolerance for corrupt acts, would not fold its arms and allow some unscrupulous elements to drag the board back.
Oloyede said: “For the gains of the CAPS initiative not to be eroded and to ensure that there are consequences for flouting the government’s directive on complying with CAPS, the Board has concluded all arrangements to with relevant security agencies to prosecute any stakeholder, candidate or admission officer.”
The registrar further pointed out that some of the infractions observed especially by institutions included the total jettisoning of CAPS, coercing high-scoring candidates to opt for other programmes to give room for their favoured but low-scoring candidates and offline admissions.
He said these acts are criminal, wicked and unacceptable, declaring that henceforth those found aiding and abetting admission irregularities would be liable for prosecution by the anti-graft agency.
He said: “There should be no debate about merit. Merit and it is not negotiable. High-scoring candidates ought to be admitted first.”