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House of Representatives demand reduction of JAMB fee to N3,000

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The House of Representatives has urged the federal ministry of education to review downward the cost of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) by about 50% from the current N7, 500.00 to not more than N3, 000.00.
The House, while adopting a motion by James Faleke (APC, Lagos) urged the Federal Ministry of Education to ensure that the cost of the other ‘ancillary forms’ for changes must be free or at the very barest minimum of N500.
These decisions were taken after a unanimous endorsement of the motion, in order to make university and other tertiary education accessible and affordable.
While leading debate on the motion, Fakele noted that the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB) was said to have remitted the sum of N7.8 billion to the Federal Government being excess of the N12 billion made from sales of Unified Tertiary Examinations (UTME) application forms for University Admission in 2017 at the rate of N7, 500.00 each, excluding incomes from the sales of other forms such as Change of Course Forms and Change of University Forms at the rate of N5, 000.00 each.
He said an estimated 250,000 candidates purchased the UTME forms bringing the income from sales of the forms to estimated sum of N2.4bn per year.
The lawmaker further noted that the cost does not include the Post UMTE Examinations that are conducted by Universities at an average cost of N2, 500 (Two Thousand Five Hundred Naira only) per candidate excluding the expenses made on logistics.
Faleke said he was aware that JAMB had a surplus of N7 billion budget in 2017.
According to him “the increase in the number of Universities from 12 at inception of JAMB in 1798, with less than 50,000 candidates to over 400 tertiary institutions with more than 1.7 million candidates writing the exams and indices shows only about 50% of those who wrote the examinations were admitted in the universities as at 2017.
“Further aware that JAMB as a government agency is not set up for profit making but to promote educational development of the young citizens in pursuit of their professional career;
“Worried that the proliferation of Universities to 120, 83 Polytechnics, 82 Colleges of Education and other Tertiary Institutions under JAMB purview is portraying it as a profit making venture.
“I was alarmed at the allegation of the huge sum of money missing from the vaults, burning of scratch cards, lending out money made from sales of application forms, conversion of proceeds from sales of application forms to loans and Image ’empowerment’ funds to private individuals and fictitious by stories by the officials of the board”
“That being the first time such an amount is being returned to government coffers by any government agency, the management of JAMB deserves commendation for upholding the Federal Government’s Anti-Corruption policies.
“Believes that education, being a pivot upon which relational development of the nation rests, should be made available to citizens at the barest minimum cost”
The motion was thereafter unanimously adopted and referred to the committee on basic education led by Hon. Zakari Mohammed (APC, Kwara) to ensure compliance and report back in two weeks.

Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact saharaweekly@yahoo.com

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Governor Dapo Abiodun Celebrates 65th Birthday: Otunba Nurudeen Aina Alowonle Extends Warm Wishes

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Ogun State, Nigeria – In a display of solidarity and goodwill, Otunba Aina Nurudeen Alowonle, A Board member of the Articulate Motorcycle and Riders Association of Nigeria (AMORAN), has felicitated with Governor Dapo Abiodun as he marks his 65th birthday on May 29, 2025. The congratulatory message comes as the governor reflects on his journey of leadership, service, and commitment to the development of Ogun State.

The momentous occasion serves as a reminder of the significant milestones achieved under the governor’s administration since he took office in 2019. Known for his focus on infrastructure development, healthcare reform, and youth empowerment, Governor Abiodun has made substantial strides toward transforming the socio-economic landscape of Ogun State.

In his message, Sokoya praised the governor’s enduring vision for the state, emphasizing his dedication to ensuring a better quality of life for the citizens of Ogun. “As you celebrate this significant milestone in your life, we at AMORAN recognize your commitment to promoting unity, peace, and progress in our state,” he stated.

Otunba Alowonle highlighted the strong partnership between the Ogun State government and AMORAN, underlining the importance of collaboration in addressing the challenges faced by the motorcycle and transport sector. “On this special day, we are reminded of your efforts to create an enabling environment for the transportation industry, ensuring safety and governance that prioritizes the welfare of all riders,” he added.

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Lawyers, CSOs Hit Abuja Street Over Farouk Ahmed Must Go Protest

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***Allege abuse of office, misuse of public funds for children’s education abroad

A group of lawyers and civil society organisations (CSOs) protested in Abuja today, demanding the immediate resignation of Engineer Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

The group known as Concerned Lawyers and Civil Society in Defence of Public Trust alleged that Ahmed had abused his office by using public funds to educate his children in expensive schools abroad, including European University in Montreux, Switzerland, Aiglon College Boarding School in Switzerland, Institut Le Rosey in Rolle, Switzerland, and La Garenne International School in the Swiss Alps.

The protesters, who gathered at the NMDPRA headquarters, claimed that Ahmed’s actions were a clear case of corruption and abuse of power. They alleged that the funds used to pay for the children’s education were diverted from public coffers and that Ahmed’s actions were a betrayal of the public trust.

According to Barr. Martins Adaji, Faisal Ahmed, Farouk’s son, was sponsored with public funds to study at European University in Montreux, Switzerland, and later secured a lucrative position in sales at Oando, a company with ties to the oil and gas sector.

Another son, Farouk Ahmed Farouk (Jr.), it claimed, was sent to Aiglon College Boarding School in Switzerland, where the annual tuition and board fees are estimated to be over N300 million.

The protesters demanded Ahmed’s immediate resignation, a full-scale investigation into the NMDPRA’s financial records, and the recovery of any public funds used to educate his children.

They also called for Ahmed’s prosecution under the Public Procurement Act and the Code of Conduct Bureau guidelines.

The protesters further demanded that any recovered funds be channelled to rehabilitate schools in Nigeria’s most disadvantaged oil-producing communities.

They warned that if their demands are ignored, they will return stronger, louder, and more resolute, occupying every relevant space to demand justice and accountability.

“This protest is about justice. It is about drawing the line in the sand and saying, ‘NO MORE!,” Adaji said. “NO MORE abuse of public trust.

“NO MORE luxury for the few while the many wallow in deprivation. NO MORE wasting of public funds while Nigerian university students are stuck at home due to strikes, poor infrastructure, and lack of funding.

“To the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we ask you: will you watch this continue under your administration? Or will you act, and show that your government is serious about transparency and equity?

“Today’s protest is not the end. If these demands are ignored, we will return stronger, louder, and more resolute. Nigerian youths, mothers, and civil society will occupy every relevant space to say: enough is enough.

“We are done clapping for thieves. We are done bowing to men who see Nigeria as their inheritance. Let it be known: Engr. Farouk Ahmed must step down NOW. Not tomorrow. Not next week.

“Not after consultations. He must resign TODAY. He must return every kobo spent on his children’s foreign education. And he must face the full weight of the law. That is the only way the Nigerian people will believe that justice still lives in this land.”

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Airtel AI Spam Alert Service flags 9.6 million spam attempts in two months

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Airtel Nigeria, a leading telecommunications service provider and subsidiary of Airtel Africa, has announced that its AI-powered Spam Alert Service issued over 9.6 million spam alerts between March 13 and May 20, 2025.

As part of its ongoing commitment to protecting customers from unwanted and potentially fraudulent communications, Airtel designed the AI Spam Alert service to analyze traffic patterns and detect anomalies. In the period since launch the AI pinpointed a total of 9,667,008 SMS as potential spam messages in the two months after its launch. Of these, the system identified 528,080 on-net (Airtel-to-Airtel) and 9,138,928 off-net (from other networks) numbers as suspected spam messages, demonstrating the scale of the threat and Airtel’s advanced processing capability.

Commenting on this development, Airtel Nigeria, CEO, Dinesh Balsingh, has restated Airtel`s commitment to protecting its customers.

“This milestone demonstrates the strength of our AI-driven infrastructure in combating the growing menace of spam and scam calls. At Airtel Nigeria, we are focused on connecting Nigerians and ensuring their safety and confidence while using our network,” he noted.

“We understand that trust is the cornerstone of digital communication. That’s why we’ve invested heavily in intelligent systems that not only detect potential threats but also learn and evolve with data. As threats become more sophisticated, so will our solutions. As a company, we remain focused on leading the industry in innovation and customer satisfaction, ensuring that every Nigerian can enjoy a safer and smarter digital experience,” Mr. Balsingh added.

The Spam Alert Service is part of Airtel Nigeria’s broader strategy to integrate artificial intelligence into its core offerings to deliver smarter and safer experiences for its customers across the country.

Recall that the Spam Alert Service was launched on March 13, 2025. A groundbreaking and free solution from Airtel, it notifies users in real-time of suspected spam SMS messages by analyzing over 250 parameters. The Airtel AI Spam Alert Service is available to all Airtel subscribers on smartphones and feature phones.

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