Graduate threatens suicide as Nasarawa varsity swaps JAMB reg number

A graduate of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Adamu Sunday, has been struggling with depression after being denied enrolment in the National Youth Service Corps.

Sunday, who completed his Economics degree in 2024, alleged that the university assigned his Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board registration number to another student, enabling that person to serve in his place.

As a result, he has been unable to participate in the mandatory national service, leaving his future in limbo.

Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, he said, “I am depressed knowing someone has reaped the labour of my four years. This person used my registration number to serve and I believe he must have been using that NYSC certificate to work and make a living. Look at me, the owner of the number he/she used. I have graduated, but I cannot serve; what value do my results have? Not going to school is better than what is happening to me. I feel like ending it all.“

Sunday, who gained admission to study Economics at NSUK in 2018 after registering for JAMB on February 7 of that year, narrated how he discovered the shocking mix-up when his repeated attempts to register for NYSC were rejected.

“Upon completion of my studies, I attempted to enroll for NYSC, but all my applications were unsuccessful.

 “I went back to the school in July 2024 to find out why. A list was brought to me, and I was told that I had already served in 2019.” Sunday told our correspondent.

According to him, he was baffled by this claim since he had only resumed studies in 2019 due to an academic strike.

“I explained that it was impossible for me to have served in 2019, but the Data Entry Officer, Idris Dahiru, refused to listen,” he alleged.

Determined to clear his name, Sunday visited the JAMB Zonal Office in Abuja, where biometric verification confirmed him as the legitimate owner of the registration number in question.

“I was told to return to my school because my registration number had been used to mobilize another person.

“When I took this information to the Student Affairs Division, they assured me they would investigate and asked me to return later. But after several follow-ups, they stopped responding to my calls.”

Sunday then escalated the issue to his Head of Department, who advised him to write a formal letter to the Dean of Student Affairs.

However, weeks passed without any response, prompting him to seek intervention from the Vice-Chancellor’s office.

“The VC’s Special Assistant, Gbadamosi, wrote a note and placed it in my file, asking me to go back to Student Affairs.

“But when I got there, the Student Affairs officer dismissed the note, saying even if the VC got involved, they were the ones who would advise him on the matter.”

Sunday claimed that school officials pressured him to undergo JAMB regularisation, which he rejected.

“I contacted somebody in JAMB, and some other people who advised me against regularisation, saying it would make my admission invalid and my results useless,” he added.

He said he was made to understand that some students had issues with their JAMB registration numbers in 2019 and were given other students’ numbers with which they were mobilised for the NYSC.

Feeling frustrated, Sunday wrote letters to the JAMB Registrar and NYSC headquarters, both of which acknowledged his complaint.

He said, “On September 4,2024 I wrote a letter to the JAMB Registrar. I went there and they confirmed that I was the original owner of the number. On September 5, I wrote to NYSC headquarters. I went there too, and I was told there was no need for me to submit a letter because they only work with lists from schools.

“But I insisted that the person moblised with my number did it illegally and the NYSC should be interested in the matter as a reputable organisation. The letter was later taken from me. After a week, a lady called me from NYSC and said she had spoken to the student affairs officer of my school, asking me to go back to my school.

“When I went back, the data entry officer of my school, Idris Dahiru, made jest of me. He said if I like, I should report the matter anywhere in the world, that they would still refer me to them.

“He insisted that it is either I do JAMB regularisation or nothing. I immediately went to the office of the VC to see him on my matter but I wasn’t allowed that day. They referred me back to the students’ affairs. There, I was told I should stop proving stubborn, that I was not the only one affected and that others whose numbers were used to moblise others have done regularisation.”

Sunday alleged that despite JAMB directing the school to investigate the matter, the dean of students affairs of his school was upset that he had escalated the issue to higher authorities.

Feeling depressed and hopeless, Sunday decried the injustice of having another person use his registration details to gain an NYSC certificate, while he was unable to serve.

Sunday appealed to relevant authorities, including JAMB, NYSC, and the Federal Ministry of Education, to intervene and ensure he gets justice.

“This injustice must be corrected. I should not be made to suffer for something I knew nothing about,” he pleaded.

Efforts to reach the university’s spokesman, Abraham Ekpo, for comment were unsuccessful.

Several calls to him were unanswered, and he has yet to respond to a message sent to him on the matter as of the time of filing this report.