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Nigerians react to alleged fake JAMB score of Mmesoma Ejikeme
MANY Nigerians have continued to express diverse opinions on the handling of Joy Mmesoma Ejikeme’s 2023 UTME result by the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board, JAMB.
The issue, which began over the weekend, has continued to generate lots of controversies and reactions from Nigerians. While some are insisting on a thorough investigation into the matter, others are insisting that Ejikeme couldn’t have forged her result, others insist on a promise to sponsor her education whether or not she is found guilty or not.
Despite the controversies generated, JAMB has remained adamant on its earlier position that the UTME result being paraded by Ejikeme is fake.
Reacting to a video by Ejikeme whivh went viral on Monday to absolve herself of any wrong doing, Fabian Benjamin, acting director of PAP of JAMB said on Tuesday, July 4, that JAMB’s system was neither tampered with nor compromised as the candidate simply falsified a copy of a result slip of another candidate named “Asimiyu Mariam Omobolanle”, who sat the UTME in 2021 and scored 138.
But Ejikeme had in the video noted that when the QR code on her printed slip was scanned, it showed Asimiyu Mariam Omobolanle, who sat the UTME in 2021 and scored 138 and that when it was scanned latter, it showed a different score.
Some Nigerians, who commented on the issue, wondered how a forged QR code would not read ‘error’ or not even scanable. If Nmesoma really forged her JAMB result with this app, then how come a forged QR code when scanned bore someone’s name, some people are asked.
Also, the Youth Wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide said in a statement by Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, its Financial Secretary on Monday that JAMB should to put the matter to rest by setting another examination for Ejikeme.
Arthur-Ugwa described the development as `embarrassing’ to the candidate, JAMB, and Nigeria in general and called on JAMB to immediately clear its image and that of the nation.
He urged JAMB to bring Ejikeme’s alleged result falsification case to rest by testing her with another examination.
According to him, only another examination supervised by independent observers will bring this matter to rest and we will avail ourselves to be part of the supervision if need be.
Reacting to the unfolding drama, Oby Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education, called for an independent investigation into the matter.
In a statement through her verified Twitter handle, the former minister said the investigation would help to clear the air on whether she got the score or not.
“I frankly see no downsides in asking a team of Independent Technology folks to investigate and publicly share their findings. Let’s do it,” she added.
Although JAMB insists that the case has been handed over to relevant security agencies for thorough investigation to unravel the masterminds of the alleged crime, it has gone ahead to withdraw Ejikeme’s 2023 UTME result and also barred her from sitting the Board’s examination for the next three years
For this, many Nigerians have wondered why JAMB couldn’t wait for the outcome of the said investigations before branding the 16-year-old student a criminal capable of forging her own result, while others have promised to provide her succor whether or not she is guilty.
Similarly, the Centre for Nonviolence and Social Justice, a human rights organization, has flayed JAMB over the poor handling of the alleged fake result
Commenting on the development, Amos Ogbonnaya, executive director of the Centre alleged that JAMB’s “careless, apparently official statement, has sparked viscous and unrelenting condemnation of the girl whose only offense is that she made the highest score in JAMB”.
According to Ogbonnaya, JAMB stopped short of telling the world how she inflated her score, when she did it, whether or not she did it alone or in consortium with some high-tech wizards, or the app or software used to hack JAMB’s data base or server. Someone who uses an app or a computer application to inflate a JAMB score cannot be said to have ‘manually’ inflated her UTME result.’ There is a clear difference between manual and electronic applications or manipulation.”
In the heat of the accusations and counter accusations, Romanus Ejikeme, father to Mmesoma says the family has no plan to sue JAMB.
He told journalists, who visited his house at Nnewi on Tuesday, that the family had left everything to God to judge, insisting that her daughter did not forge her results.
He said: “My daughter studies so hard that even when you ask her to go to bed late in the night, she will insist on reading more because she wants to study Medicine and Surgery.
“After all the stress, someone will say her result was forged. I have no doubt about this matter. I’m sure my daughter did not forge the result and we are ready to go to any length to prove it.
“I only feel bad that after what my daughter has gone through reading for the exams, that she is being denied her legitimate score.
“Since this allegation of my daughter forging her result broke out, both my wife and my daughter have been feeling very sad. My daughter is traumatized.”
The Court of Appeal, Abuja, has set aside contempt proceedings initiated by the former Governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello, against the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Justice Joseph Oyewole set aside the proceedings in a unanimous judgment on Thursday while overruling the respondent’s preliminary objection, citing technicalities.
The Appeal Court said the trial judge failed to extend the orders of Feb. 9 in its final Judgment of April 17.
He said the second issue raised by the respondent on the interim order had become an academic exercise.
The court awarded N1 million cost against the respondent.
The appellate court had granted an ex-parte motion for stay of contempt proceedings filed against the EFCC’s Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, by ex- Governor Bello.
The Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice Oyewole, granted the EFCC’s application to serve the processes in the appeal by substituted means on the former governor.
The court consequently adjourned the hearing of the motion on notice to May 20.
It would be recalled that the EFCC boss was summoned to appear before the Kogi State High Court in May to show cause why he should not be committed to prison for disobeying its orders.
But he had appealed the ruling of the trial court and sought a stay of the proceedings of the court.
The Kogi High Court based its ruling on the premise that the EFCC chair carried out “some acts upon which they (the EFCC) have been restrained” by the court on Feb. 9, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive originating motion.
It would be recalled that Justice I. A. Jamil, in a ruling on Suit No: HCL/68M/2024 and Motion No: HCL/190M/2024, ordered that “the said act was carried out by the respondent (EFCC) in violation of the order, which was valid and subsisting when they carried out the act.
The judge held that the EFCC’s act amounted to contempt.
EFCC operatives had laid siege on the residence of the former governor, as early as 8am on April 17, with a bid to arrest him despite a court order restraining them from taking such action, pending the determination of the originating motion.
Justice Jamil’s order was based on a motion ex-parte filed by Bello, through his lawyer, M.S. Yusuf, where he prayed the court for an order to issue and serve the respondent (EFCC chairman) with Form 49 Notice to show cause why order of committal should not be made on him.
The lead judgment at the Appeal Court on Thursday, was delivered by Justice Oyewole, while Justices A.M. Talba and D. Z. Senchi were in agreement.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ondo State has deployed 1,000 operatives ahead of the forthcoming Eid-el-Kabir celebration in the state.
Mr Ibiloye Oluyemi, the State Commandant of NSCDC, made this known while addressing newsmen on Thursday in Akure.
Ibiloye explained that the operational order for the celebration period had been communicated to the eight area commanders and the 36 divisional officers covering the 18 local government areas in the state.
According to him, the deployment will also give special attention to the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure.
“The Rapid Response Squad, Tactical Team, and the Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU) will patrol black spots, vulnerable locations, recreational centres, and other flashpoints to nip in the bud any criminal intention.
“Operatives from the female squad, anti-vandal unit, agro rangers, operations department, and intelligence officers will coordinate and watchfully protect lives and property before, during, and after the Salah celebration,” he said.
The commandant assured residents that the command would be “civil and professional in the discharge of the national assignment under its watch.”
He also appealed to the people of the state to be security conscious and law-abiding.
“Report any suspicious movement of persons or consignment to the security agencies around you. I wish all Muslim faithful a blessed Salah Celebration,” he said.
The Federal Government has started the process of reviewing the National Environmental (Permitting and Licensing Systems) Regulations, S.I. 29, 2009, to address areas of gaps in trending and emerging environmental issues.
Speaking at the expert critique meeting for the review on Thursday in Abuja, Dr Innocent Barikor, the Director- General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), said the document sought to strengthen environmental laws.
He said that the regulation also aimed at improving air quality and environmental conservation and avoidance of exposure to waste and hazardous substances.
“The regulation seeks to achieve statutory environmental targets and outcomes.
“Such as improvement in air quality, environmental conservation and avoidance of exposure to waste and hazardous substances by issuing Environmental Permits to the Regulated Community.
“These permits have significantly aided the agency to achieve her mandate of ensuring compliance with environmental laws, policies, standards and guidelines.
“However, in the course of operationalising the provisions of these regulations in the last 15 years, some gaps were identified.
“These gaps included trending and emerging environmental issues such as climate change, marine pollution and biodiversity conservation which are of global concern.’’
Barikor said that the factors necessitated NESREA to seek for assistance through the Quick Wins of its 5-Year Impact Plan from the UNEP-LEAP Small Scale Funding Agreement (SSFA).
He said this was under the Montevideo Programme V to facilitate the review of the regulation.
The director-general said that permitting and licensing regulations was the backbone that provided the necessary structure to balance growth and innovation and public safety.
“However, as with any system, there is always room for improvement, thus, the need for the ongoing efforts to refine and enhance our regulatory processes,” he said.
He said that the agency had so far conducted desktops reviews/documentations and interacted with relevant stakeholders across the six geo-political zones.
The director-general said that the agency also interacted with stakeholders from the 35 States of the federation through its zonal and state field offices.
Barikor urged stakeholders to consider the review process as a testament to the agency’s commitment in leaving a legacy of environmental sustainability for generations to come.
An expert, Mr Victor Ojogbo, said that the issue of the environment was critical.
Ojogbo, a former Director, Department of Planning and Policy Analysis, NESREA, said that the essence of the review was to examine the issues of offences, penalities for defaulters as well as enforcement by the agency.
He said that the review would also ensure that the regulators and regulated were placed on their toes for a seamless enforcement.
“I said that the issue of the environment is not to be treated with kids glove; because if it affects me; it affects you and then the environment,” he said.
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