TDSenior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Jibrin Okutepa, has strongly criticized the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) over its refusal to release examination results of candidates under the age of 16.
In a statement issued on May 21, 2026, Okutepa congratulated the newly appointed JAMB Registrar, Professor Segun Aina.
He, however, expressed doubts that the new leadership would depart from what he described as an “obnoxious policy” inherited from the previous administration.
Allegations by Okutepa Against JAMB
Okutepa noted that millions of Nigerian students who sat for the April 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) are yet to receive their results.
He argued that JAMB’s refusal to release the results of candidates below 16 years amounts to psychological torture for both the students and their parents.
“For me JAMB is not only punishing these Nigerian students unjustly, but it is violating their fundamental rights to freedom from torture.
“The failure of JAMB to release the results of these students amounts to psychological torture and trauma not only against these students but their parents and guardians,” Okutepa stated.
He further pointed out that JAMB collected registration fees from these candidates.
It then allowed them to sit for the exams but later withheld their results on account of age restrictions.
Legal and Human Rights Concerns
Okutepa referenced a court judgment that had previously set aside JAMB’s age policy.
He accused the examination body of disobeying judicial orders.
He stressed that the Nigerian constitution prohibits torture and urged JAMB to comply with the law.
Supporting his position, lawyer Aikpokpo John Martin Esq. lamented that despite petitions to the House of Representatives and ongoing court cases, justice has been delayed.
He accused JAMB of trampling on the rights of young Nigerians and highlighted the plight of his own daughter, whose admission letter was withheld.
Call to Action from Okutepa
Okutepa appealed directly to the new Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, to order the release of the withheld results:
“Prof Segun Aina, please order the release of the results of these hapless Nigerians who are below 16 years.”
He argued that if the age policy had been strictly applied in the past, Nigeria would not have produced a 39-year-old professor as JAMB Registrar today.
Wider Implications on Okutepa’s Allegations
The controversy has reignited debates about:
- Access to education and whether age restrictions are fair.
- Judicial compliance by government agencies.
- Human rights protections for minors seeking higher education.
Civil society groups and parents are expected to intensify pressure on JAMB and the federal government to address the issue.
In the meantime, the matter continues to generate widespread concern across Nigeria.
