There was mild drama at the National Assembly on Wednesday when representatives of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) staged a dramatic walkout during an investigative session with the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies.
The session, which was meant to review JAMB’s operations and accountability records, took a heated turn after the Board’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, failed to appear in person and instead sent a director, Mufutau Bello, to represent him.
Trouble began when Bello reportedly insisted that journalists vacate the meeting room, claiming that the documents he intended to present contained “sensitive information” that should not be made public.
However, members of the Committee strongly objected to the request, stressing that the House of Representatives’ proceedings were constitutionally public and that it was the Committee’s prerogative to determine the mode of its sittings.
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Witnesses said the atmosphere quickly grew tense as Bello, visibly agitated, ordered his team to pack up and abruptly walked out of the meeting hall — leaving lawmakers stunned.
Angered by the walkout, the Committee members described the action as “disrespectful and contemptuous,” and immediately directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest the JAMB representatives. However, by the time the order was issued, the officials had already left the National Assembly premises.
Following the incident, the Committee issued a stern directive to the JAMB Registrar, ordering him to appear in person with his full management team and all requested documents by Tuesday next week.
Lawmakers warned that failure to comply could lead to the issuance of a warrant of arrest against the Registrar and other top officials of the examination body.