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Nigerian Exam Body, JAMB Refutes Allegations Of Contract Fraud, Funds Misappropriation Raised In Petitions To Anti-graft Agency, ICPC, Others

Prof Is-haq Oloyede

SaharaReporters had reported how ICPC received a series of petitions, urging the anti-corruption agency to investigate and prosecute the JAMB registrar over “extreme fraud, corruption and desecration of the code of conduct of public office." 

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says the agency under the watch of its registrar, Prof Is-haq Oloyede is not being investigated by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). 

SaharaReporters had reported how ICPC received a series of petitions, urging the anti-corruption agency to investigate and prosecute the JAMB registrar over “extreme fraud, corruption and desecration of the code of conduct of public office." 

Apart from the ICPC, SaharaReporters learnt that some petitions were also sent to the Auditor-General of the Federation and the Office of the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu. 

One of the petitions sighted by SaharaReporters, which was addressed to the ICPC Chairman, alleged that there was a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which the board entered into with private entities in the name of Computer-Based Test (CBT) leading to the alleged misappropriation of N11 billion. 

One of the petitioners was the Integrity and Transparency Watchdog group, which submitted its copy to the AuGF's office. 

The petition specifically called on the ICPC to investigate Oloyede and one of his associates, Mr Mufutau Bello, the self-acclaimed DFA, in violation of Section 12 &19 of the corrupt practices and other related offenses act of 2000 and punishable under relevant section. 

The petition had read, “That the anti-corruption body investigates cases of infractions perpetrated by Mr Mufutau A Bello which is against the Public Procurement Act (PPA), 2007, with the hope of punishing any civil servant found to have colluded with contractors to subvert the rules of the Act. 

"That Is-haq Oloyede and Mufutau A. Bello having contravened the Financial Act, Corrupt practices and other related offences at Section 105 of criminal code, to this end, we request an immediate investigation into the rot in JAMB which is a grave indicator to the nation’s education economy at this time of scarcer resources." 

The petition also alleged that the consultant-turned DFA had taken over the job of the Director Procurement or Secretary, Parastatals Tender Board, by signing award letters of contracts given out by JAMB. 

According to the petition, the Registrar unilaterally transferred the erstwhile Director of Finance and Account (DFA) and bypassed the Governing board to get approval from the Honorable Minister of Education to appoint Mufutau A. Bello as a consultant; he then later converted him to the new Director of Finance and Accounts which contravened the Public Service Rules. 

The petition added that "this anomaly turns out to be the bedrock of massive corruption which now reigns supreme in JAMB which contravened the Financial Act and Corrupt Practices and other related offenses of Section 105 of criminal code. 

Reacting, Fabian Benjamin, Head, Public Affairs and Protocol of JAMB said the information is false and fabricated to malign the agency and mislead the populace. 

He said, “The recent publication of Sahara Reporters on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has been brought to the attention of the Board. 

“While assuming that you might not have deliberately set out to malign the Board, we want to state that every allegation in the reported petition published by your organization is false, malicious and defamatory aimed only at tarnishing the reputation of the Board and its leadership.”