Human rights lawyer files N10 billion suit against JAMB, Minister of Education over UTME irregularities

Human rights lawyer Evans Ufeli has filed a N10 billion suit against JAMB and the Minister of Education, citing widespread irregularities and technical failures in the 2025 UTME

[dropcap]A[/dropcap] human rights lawyer, Evans Ufeli, has filed a N10 billion suit against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, and the Minister of Education over what he described as widespread irregularities and technical failures that allegedly marred the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME.

Also read: House of Reps to investigate UTME errors

JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, during a press conference on Wednesday admitted that the early reported mass failure in the examination was caused by a systemic failure.

The suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos, is being brought on behalf of aggrieved UTME candidates—many of whom are minors—as well as their parents and other stakeholders.

Ufeli is asking the court to declare the actions and omissions of JAMB in the conduct of the 2025 UTME as a gross violation of the fundamental rights of the candidates.

Citing Sections 34, 35, 36, 39, 42 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), along with Articles 17, 19 and 20 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and key provisions of the Child Rights Act, 2003, the suit seeks multiple declarations and orders, including the nullification of the entire 2025 UTME.

According to the originating motion, the applicants argue that the examination process was marred by technical glitches, poor coordination, and delays, which not only caused emotional distress to thousands of candidates—most of whom are underage—but also compromised the integrity of the results.

The motion further claims that the failures of JAMB and the Ministry of Education jeopardized the rights of children to education under Section 15 of the Child Rights Act.

The failure to provide a safe, timely and fair examination process amounts to a breach of the rights of the candidates under the Constitution and the Child Rights Act.

“The failure to provide a safe, timely and fair examination process amounts to a breach of the rights of the candidates under the Constitution and the Child Rights Act,” the suit reads.

“The entire exercise was conducted in a manner that endangered the physical and mental safety of children and is therefore unconstitutional.”

The suit also alleges that JAMB has refused or failed to release the results of several candidates, further compounding their distress and leaving their academic futures in limbo.

Among the reliefs sought are a court declaration nullifying the 2025 UTME results, an order mandating the conduct of a fresh examination under fair and transparent conditions, and a perpetual injunction restraining JAMB and the Ministry of Education from relying on the disputed results for any academic or admission-related purpose.

Crucially, the applicants are also demanding general damages of N10 billion for what they described as “psychological trauma, loss of opportunity, and the breach of fundamental rights” suffered by the affected candidates and their families.