The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has explained why 15-year-old Kareem Kaamilah Omolarami, who scored 371 in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, was not included in the final stage of its special screening for underage high scorers.
In a statement signed by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, the Board said its decision followed an official report from Nile University of Nigeria, which indicated that the candidate was absent during the school’s internal screening exercise.
Benjamin said JAMB’s admission process runs through the Central Admission Processing System, an automated platform that ensures merit-based and transparent admissions across tertiary institutions.
He added that the Board operates a four-stage screening process for underage candidates with exceptional results. The stages include scoring at least 320 in the UTME, achieving a minimum of 80 percent in the Senior School Certificate Examination, passing the university’s internal screening, and participating in a final review by a JAMB-appointed panel.
JAMB stated that Omolarami passed the first two stages but failed to advance because she did not take part in the third stage, as officially reported by Nile University.
“The report was formally transmitted to the Board by the institution, thereby rendering her ineligible to participate in the final screening exercise held on October 8 and 9,” the statement said.
JAMB clarified that her exclusion was not caused by bias or oversight but was based on verified information from the admitting university.
The Board said Omolarami had filed a complaint on October 7, petitioning Nile University over her exclusion, and that it had requested an official explanation from the school, which is still pending.
JAMB further noted that while it regulates all admissions in Nigeria, universities have the right to recommend candidates based on their internal assessments.
The Board said it would proceed with releasing the results of 84 underage candidates who completed all four screening stages.
It urged candidates to use official JAMB channels for complaints instead of turning to the media, saying such channels provide faster and more accurate responses.
“The non-inclusion of Miss Kareem Kaamilah Omolarami in the final stage of the underage screening exercise was in complete conformity with established admission procedures and based solely on official information communicated by the admitting university,” JAMB said.
U.S. Embassy warns citizens ahead of #FreeNnamdiKanu protest in Abuja
The United States Embassy in Abuja has issued a security alert to its citizens ahead of the planned #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest scheduled for Monday, October 20.
In a statement posted on its website on Friday, the embassy warned that the protest could cause roadblocks, traffic disruptions, and possible clashes between protesters and security forces around Eagle Square and the Central Business District.
“The US Embassy in Abuja informs US citizens that the Free Nnamdi Kanu Now protest has called for peaceful demonstrations on Monday, October 20th, 2025, in Abuja,” the statement read.
“There may be roadblocks, traffic congestion, and confrontations between police and protestors that could turn violent around Eagle Square and the Central Business District. The Embassy advises all U.S. citizens to avoid this area and to severely limit all movement throughout the city on Monday, October 20th.”
It also advised American residents in Abuja to keep their children at home and for domestic staff commuting from outside the city not to report to work.
“The Embassy recommends children in Abuja stay home from school and domestic staff who travel from outside of Abuja to stay home as well,” it added.
The embassy urged all Americans in Nigeria to take extra security precautions during the protest period.
The planned protest was announced by activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, on October 9 through his X account.
Sowore said the demonstration would take place on October 20 and be directed toward the Aso Rock Presidential Villa. He described it as a peaceful and historic protest aimed at demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
Kanu, who faces terrorism charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja, has been in custody since June 2021 following his extradition from Kenya.
