The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the highest scores for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), with Okeke Chinedu emerging as the top scorer with an outstanding 375 marks out of 400.
Close on his heels is Ayuba Simon-Peter, who scored 374, followed by a cluster of candidates who achieved 373 marks, including Jimoh Abdulmalik, Roberts Damiete, Ononugbo Chigozirim, Olawepo Gertrude, Afinotan Leslie, Azoyenime Samuel, and Oyebode Oluwapelumi.
While the board celebrated these outstanding academic performances, attention turned to Okeke Chinedu after concerns arose over inconsistencies in his application details.
Speaking on Tuesday, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar of JAMB, revealed that the board conducted further scrutiny of Okeke’s background upon learning that he had applied to study Mechanical Engineering at the University of Lagos.
According to JAMB’s records, Okeke was previously admitted to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in the medical department approximately four years ago. The board sought confirmation from UNN, which verified Okeke’s admission and reported that he had been performing well academically during his time there.
However, there remains no official information confirming whether Okeke had formally withdrawn from the programme or was discontinued.
Professor Oloyede emphasised that this discrepancy raises serious questions about the legitimacy of Okeke’s application to study engineering.
“The board has engaged the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to ensure that under these circumstances, Okeke Chinedu is prevented from practising medicine,” he stated, highlighting the regulatory safeguards in place to uphold professional standards.
The JAMB Registrar’s comments underline the board’s commitment to transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s admissions process, aiming to preserve the credibility of academic qualifications and prevent misuse of multiple admissions across different institutions or faculties.
Education experts have noted that such cases, while rare, underscore the need for tighter collaboration between tertiary institutions, regulatory bodies, and admission authorities to verify candidates’ academic histories effectively.
As the admissions process for the 2025/2026 academic session continues, JAMB has assured the public that it will maintain rigorous standards and take necessary actions against candidates found to have violated admission protocols.
