THE Delta State High Court in Warri has issued a restraining order against the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), preventing it from enforcing its recent policy that mandates a minimum admissible age of 16 years for university admissions in Nigeria, pending the resolution of a motion filed against the board.
On October 16, JAMB announced that only candidates who turn 16 by August 2025 would be eligible for admission to tertiary institutions.
This announcement followed a new policy introduced by the Ministry of Education establishing 18 years as the minimum age for admission into such institutions. However, JAMB made an exception for students seeking admission for the 2024/2025 academic session.
Dissatisfied with this directive, John Aikpokpo-Martins, a former chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association’s Warri branch, took legal action against JAMB.
He filed a suit marked W/311/FHR/2021 on behalf of all candidates born between September 1, 2009, and December 31, 2009, who passed the JAMB exams in 2024, naming JAMB and Edwin Clark University as the first and second respondents, respectively.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice Anthony Akpovi granted all the reliefs requested by Aikpokpo-Martins, as confirmed by a Certified True Copy (CTC) obtained yesterday.
The applicant sought a court order to prevent the respondents from acting on or enforcing the directives outlined in the JAMB circular dated October 16, 2024, titled “Admission of candidates with minimum admissible age of 16 years,” signed by Mohammed A. Babaji.
Additionally, the applicant requested an interim injunction to prevent the respondents from withdrawing admission from Angel Aikpokpo Martins or imposing any restrictions on her rights and access to educational facilities at the second respondent institution while awaiting the outcome of the originating motion.
In his ruling, Justice Olotu stated, “Reliefs 1 and 2 are granted to safeguard the rights of every Nigerian child born between September 1, 2009, and December 31, 2009, who has written and passed the 2024 JAMB exams, allowing them to maintain their admissions at the first respondent, applicable to all Nigerian universities including the second respondent.
“Consequently, the first respondent’s circular to Vice Chancellors, Provosts, and Rectors dated 16/10/24 Ref: JAMB/ADMS/139/V.111 is to be suspended, and the status quo prior to this circular is to be maintained until the hearing of the originating motion filed on 24/10/24. Reliefs 3(a) and (b) for substituted service by courier are granted, and Relief 4 for expedited hearing is also granted.”
