CurrentReport Blog In a recent development, Abuja-based lawyer Chukwuma Nwachukwu has taken legal action against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Nwachukwu’s move comes in response to JAMB’s decision to withhold information regarding the top performers in the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In a formal letter addressed to JAMB, Nwachukwu requested access to the names and scores of the top 10 candidates in the 2024 UTME, citing the FOIA’s stipulations. He emphasized that JAMB’s disclosure of overall performance statistics without providing details on the highest achievers was inconsistent and unjust.
Nwachukwu’s application is grounded in Section 1 of the FOIA, which guarantees individuals the right to access information held by public institutions. He highlighted that the Act doesn’t necessitate a specific interest in the information requested, and any individual entitled to information under the Act can seek legal recourse to ensure compliance.
Drawing attention to JAMB’s own admission that only a fraction of candidates scored above 200, Nwachukwu underscored the significance of transparency in disclosing the top performers’ details. Out of over 1.9 million candidates who took the exam, the majority scored below 200, with the results of over 64,000 candidates withheld for further investigation.
