The South East Senate Caucus has expressed worry over what it described as a ‘curious and highly suspicious’ JAMB examination glitch at some centres in Lagos and especially in the whole of Southeast in the last exam circle.

They blamed it on “injecting hateful politics and narrow parochial considerations in both policy enunciation and its implementations”.

In a statement on Saturday in Abuja by its Chairman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South), the caucus said it would be disheartening and hopes not to contemplate such conspiracy theory “that there is a narrow agenda being pursued to deliberately shortchange and harm the future of our children”.

Though the caucus, after a careful assessment of the reports of the ugly incident, noted with cautious optimism the efforts being made to mitigate the near disaster, particularly the rescheduling of the examination, it, however, warns that a future reoccurrence will be unacceptable.

Nonetheless, Southeast senators, he added, welcomed the timely acceptance of fault as expressed through the open declaration of regrets and tearful apology by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) management, particularly its registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede.

According to Senator Abaribe, the Southeast lawmakers hope and warn that such a display of penitence in public would not be an effort to mask a future sinister agenda aimed at harming the educational advancement of children of the southeast region.

Abaribe said: “The so-called glitch, as curious and suspicious as it was, is enough to erode confidence and dangerously lower national pride among the future generation.

“The relevant national education drivers must recognise the inherent danger of injecting hateful politics and narrow parochial considerations in both policy enunciation and its implementations.

“That the glitch happened in the whole of South East raises pertinent questions that must be answered by JAMB to assuage the growing frustrations and fears among the people of the region, particularly the children who are directly at the receiving end. We must pursue a Nigerian agenda and not a narrow one that will ultimately injure national unity.

“Education remains one of the most important bedrocks of any society’s advancement. It is one major index of development in every facet of life that can never be faulted. Education is a major pivot that triggers national development. Every child is entitled to it; therefore, we must not play roulette with it.

He said that the South East Senate Caucus is alert and under pressure as it unequivocally demands firm assurance from JAMB and other relevant national educational policy drivers that there will never be a recurrence of such a scandalous glitch in the future.

The remarkable and highly transformational leadership qualities of the Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Shehu Mohammed, has once again been rewarded following the conferment of a prestigious Diamond Merit Award on him, by the Institute of Chattered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in Lagos, the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) can report.

The recognition and honour which falls under the Member Accountant Category, was bestowed upon the Corps Marshal at the ICAN Annual Dinner and Merit Award Ceremony held on Saturday at the Monarch Event Centre in Lekki, Lagos.

According to the President of the noble Institute, Mr. Davidson Stephen Alaribe, the Member Accountant Category award is reserved for distinguished professionals Accountants who have made outstanding contributions in their fields while demonstrating strong support for the accounting profession. Corps Marshal was lauded for his transformational leadership qualities, transparency and accountability in the management of the affairs of leadership in the Federal Road Safety Corps.

Elated by the recognition, the Corps Marshal stated that the honour is a call for more dedication, commitment, greater transparency and accountability in FRSC. He expressed his deepest gratitude to ICAN for its prudence and objectivity in identifying true high flyers for this remarkable recognition.

The event brought together industry leaders, policy makers, and professionals from across the country who came along to celebrate the Institute’s integrity and professionalism as the leading Accountancy body in Nigeria.

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted three consecutive days to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conclude the ten-year-old corruption charges it instituted against a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

Dasuki’s counsel initiated legal arguments when he challenged the status of the subpoena because it was issued to the DSS as an entity not recognised by the law of the country.

The EFCC lawyer, however, countered the objection, insisting that DSS was a creation of statute and that there had been no confusion in the identity of the organisation.

“The document was duly served on Department of State Security (DSS). The Department has no confusion as to its identity.

“The witness did not exhibit any confusion as to his invitation by the Court. The objection as to form does not defeat the end of Justice. We humbly pray the Court not to sustain the objection in the interest of substantial justice.”

In the end, Justice Lifu admitted the subpoena as an exhibit and reserved his ruling to be delivered along with the main charge.

“I have carefully and painstakingly listened to learned counsel on the admissibility of the document sought to be tendered by the prosecution.

“I have also perused the document in relation to the name on the said subpoena. Admissibility of documentary evidence is governed by the law of evidence, and it is determined by relevancy.

“Being a criminal case which is about 10 years old in the docket of this court, coupled with the fact that ACJA 2015 envisages speedy dispensation of criminal justice, this document shall be admitted and a ruling shall be incorporated into the final judgement of this court,” said Justice Lifu.

The judge drew the attention of the parties to the fact that the case had dragged and suffered delay for ten years, having been filed in 2015.

At the proceedings, the first prosecution witness and exhibit keeper with the DSS, Monsur Mohammed, was permitted to give evidence on the strength of the subpoena.

He subsequently presented several items found in Dasuki’s properties at 13 John Khadije Street, Asokoro, Abuja; 46 Nelson Mandela Street, Asokoro Abuja; Sabon Birnin Road, Sokoto; and Sultan Abubakar Road, also in Sokoto.

Four different search warrants executed in July 2015 at the four properties led to the recovery of the undisclosed items.

In the end, the DSS exhibit keeper admitted that nothing incriminating was found on the properties.

After the evidence, Justice Lifu held that in the circumstances of the case and by consent of all counsel, “this suit is hereby adjourned to 7, 8 and 9 July 2025 at the instance of the Court for further hearing.

He added: “The learned prosecutor is expected to close his case on these adjourned dates.”