Nigerian Bar Association Demands Immediate National Assembly Probe into JAMB and WAEC Examination Failures

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has urged the National Assembly to launch an urgent and thorough investigation into the recent technical glitches and operational failures experienced during examinations conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

In a statement released on Saturday, NBA described the conduct of these exams as a serious violation of students’ rights and called for accountability from the examination bodies.

The statement, signed by NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe and General Secretary Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara, condemned the technical malfunctions, security breaches, and poor examination conditions that have marred the country’s major testing agencies in recent weeks.

“The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) recently released results for students seeking admission into tertiary institutions,” the NBA noted. “However, many students and their parents have raised complaints regarding the accuracy of the scores awarded.”

The situation worsened following the tragic suicide of 19-year-old Timilehin Faith Opesusi from Lagos, originally of Abeokuta, Ogun State, who reportedly took her life after receiving a low score in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). This incident has intensified public concern about the reliability and integrity of JAMB’s systems.

At a press briefing, JAMB Registrar Professor Ishaq Oloyede confirmed that hackers compromised the examination body’s computer system, resulting in the cancellation of results for 379,997 candidates who took the UTME across 157 centres in Lagos and the South East.

Meanwhile, WAEC’s ongoing administration of the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) has been criticized by the NBA as “shocking” and disrespectful to students’ rights.

Reports from various states revealed that some students were forced to write exams late into the night, sometimes until 9 p.m., using candlelight or phone torches where electricity was unavailable. For instance, the English Language Papers 2 and 3, scheduled for 4 p.m. on May 28, started only at 7 p.m., causing significant distress and fatigue.

The NBA also highlighted a dangerous incident at Government Secondary School, Namnai, in Taraba State’s Gassol Local Government Area, where a classroom collapsed around 6 p.m. while students were still writing exams. Thankfully, the students, teachers, and invigilators narrowly escaped death and were rescued by the local community, with the injured receiving hospital treatment.

Describing these failures as a “new trend of impunity,” the NBA warned that educational institutions, which should be centers of progress, are increasingly becoming sources of trauma and danger for Nigerian youth.

“The right to education is a constitutional right, and every student deserves dignity and respect,” the NBA stated. “Examinations conducted under such chaotic and unsafe conditions undermine students’ preparation and violate their fundamental rights.”

The NBA emphasized that holding exams at night without adequate lighting, power, and security was neither advertised nor agreed upon by students and amounts to a breach of their contractual and constitutional rights, specifically citing sections 34 and 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantee respect for human dignity and freedom to access knowledge.

The association has called on the leadership of both the Senate and House of Representatives to urgently establish a joint committee to investigate these incidents involving JAMB and WAEC, and to ensure those responsible are held accountable.

“The absence of consequences will only encourage repeat offenses that may be worse,” the NBA warned.