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Tag: Anambra

  • Stop giving ethnic colouration to Ejikeme’s UTME forged results – NGO

    Stop giving ethnic colouration to Ejikeme’s UTME forged results – NGO

    A Civil Society Organisation (CSO), Transparency Advocacy for Development Initiative (TADI)  has asked Nigerians not to give ethic colouration to the forged 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result of Miss Mmesoma Ejikeme.

    This is contained in a statement signed by TADI’s Director of Programmes, Media and Publicity, Mr Taiwo Adeniran in Abuja.

    He urged the general public to respect JAMB’s integrity and reject the ethnic colouration being attached to the Ejikeme result saga.

    Adeniran said that Ejikeme had admitted to a panel of independent investigators set up by the Anambra Government that she forged her UTME result.

    He stressed that earlier before Ejikeme’s confession, there were a lot of unguided and negative reactions orchestrated by her claim bothering on accusations and counter-accusations trending on social media and other media platforms.

    “We call on the general public at this juncture to see her confession to the allegation and admittance to have forged the result as an attestation that JAMB is a well-respected and highly-regarded external examination body.

    “The body  has shown that it is well-respected and highly-regarded external examination body that its credibility and integrity cannot be contaminated. And. We call on the public to respect that.

    “It is also very pertinent to note that issues like these should not be treated as a matter of ethnicity or religion,” he said.

    He appreciated the firm position of  JAMB for its unwavering commitment to upholding the sanctity of the nation’s educational system and its resolve to always deliver credible and fair assessments in a manner that has reinforced the confidence of the people in the credibility of the institution.

    “Also on record is the assurance of the board to be guided by the principles of inclusiveness and fairness as demonstrated by its seamless and prompt deployment of dedicated software known as the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS).

    “We hereby use this medium to urge the emergency social media journalists on this matter and other issues of national interest, to always exercise restraint in their choice of words and matters like this.

    “This is because, Ejikeme’s confession had vindicated JAMB, showing clearly it does not operate or relate with candidates bases on tribe or religion.

    “We want to express our firm belief as a responsible CSO that JAMB as constituted under the current Leadership of the board head by Prof. Ishaq Oloyede as we pass a vote of confidence on his leadership.

    “He is performing the constitutional mandate very well without fear or favor and not based on religion or ethnic affiliation but purely on merit and professionalism of the board to giving Nigerians a very reliable examination conduct,” he said.

    The CSO also called on prospective candidates for UTME in the nearest future to stay clear of fraudulent activities that could jeopardsze their chances and reputation.

    It also urged the JAMB to engage student leaders, CSOs, and professional bodies to interact with them as an advocacy strategy to dispel the issues of manipulation and due process of obtaining JAMB’s authentic results.

    “Therefore, it is imperative for a symbiotic collaboration amongst the principal stakeholders such as Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and Parents Teachers Association (PTA) in the educational delivery sector of the nation to find a way forward to address the decadence of moral and value upturn at the basic education level.

    “On the strength of the above we once again urged every Nigerian to be supportive of the nation’s institutions at every level for a better system and a culture that promotes national unity and respect for individual rights,” he said.

  • How Mmesoma Ejikeme forged her UTME result

    How Mmesoma Ejikeme forged her UTME result

    The committee set up by Gov. Chukwuma Soludo to investigate the alleged falsification of results of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination by Mmesoma Ejikeme, has revealed how she forged her results.

    The panel, in a report addressed to the Governor on Friday, said that it reviewed Mmesoma ‘s JAMB results and conducted interviews with relevant parties, including JAMB officials and other individuals involved.

    The report stated that JAMB officials led by Dr Fabian Benjamin, Head, Public Affairs, presented what specifically transpired between the candidate, Mmesoma with registration number: 20230639047FF in her quest to obtain her JAMB score.

    The report by the panel showed the date, time and other details of how the teenager checked her result and the responses she received from the examination body, and how she later manipulated and printed the result.

    The report read: “The Committee invited Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma, the Principal of Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, and officials of JAMB for an interactive session with the Committee.

    “JAMB officials led by Dr Fabian Benjamin, the Head of Public Affairs, presented the detailed processes and procedures involved in JAMB admissions.

    “It shows the policy changes that have occurred in the release of UTME scores since 2021 and what specifically transpired between the candidate – Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma with registration number: 20230639047FF in her quest to obtain her JAMB score,” it said.

    JAMB has revealed the different times that Ejikeme made several requests to JAMB portal asking for her results at different hours.

    JAMB said each of these times (four in number), she received in her phone, same results from JAMB indicating candidate’s UTME Results to wit: English: 64, Physics: 54, Biology: 74, Chemistry: 57 with a total aggregate score of 249.

    JAMB disclosed that the candidate was well informed of her correct score from JAMB but she sent a request to JAMB with a different registration number showing a UTME result of aggregate score of 362, with English: 98, Physics: 89, Biology: 94, and Chemistry: 81.

    “The results she sent differed substantially from the standard JAMB format where she got an appropriate rebuttal stating her real score of 249.

    “Besides, a number of red-flags were also highlighted by JAMB officials showing a different date of birth, different Registration Number, Notification of results template that has been discarded since 2021, amongst others.

    “It was also evident that even the centre name “Nkemefuna Foundation (Thomas Chidoka Centre for Human Development as it was known before now) used for the examination was also manipulated where the candidate used the old name of the centre (Thomas Chidoka Centre for Human Development) in her own manipulated result sheet.

    “In Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma’s submission, she owned up in the presence of her principal, and the Education Secretary that the narration by the JAMB officials was a true and correct description of what transpired.

    “She also admitted to have given a manipulated result by herself unaided, using the same phone Airtel Number.

    “According to her, she proceeded to the cybercafe (Prisca Global Computers, Uruagu, Nnewi) where she printed the results she had manipulated,” the report stated.

    The report was signed by Prof. Nkemdili Nnonyelu and six others.

  • Set another test for Mmesoma Ejikeme – Ohaneze youth tells JAMB

    Set another test for Mmesoma Ejikeme – Ohaneze youth tells JAMB

    The Youth Wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has urged the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to bring Miss Mmesoma Ejikeme’s alleged results falsification case to rest by testing her with another examination.

    Miss Ejikeme, erstwhile student of Anglican Girls Secondary School, Nnewi in Anambra, had celebrated her emergence as candidate with the highest score in the year 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    JAMB, in a statement on Sunday signed by its Spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin, however, accused Miss Ejikeme of inflating her results to curry favour, adding that the result would be withdrawn as she would have to face prosecution.

    Speaking with newsmen in Owerri, on Tuesday, the Financial Secretary of the Ohanaeze Youth Wing, Mazi Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, called on the examination board to put the matter to rest by resetting the examination for Miss Ejikeme.

    Arthur-Ugwa described the situation as `embarrassing’ to the candidate, JAMB, and Nigeria in general and called on the Board to immediately clear its image and that of the nation.

    He added that the allegation would come with negative psychological and emotional effects on Mmesoma.

    Arthu-Ugwa called on the body to “desist from causing harm” in any form or by any means on an innocent youth who had yet to be pronounced guilty by the results of ongoing investigations into the matter.

    “Only another examination supervised by independent observers will bring this matter to rest and we will avail ourselves to be part of the supervision if need be,” he said.

    According to him, the Board had never complained of any attempt to manipulate its website, hence the need for the board not to preempt investigations.

    “Only a few years back, JAMB told us how a snake swallowed a huge sum of money in one of its offices; today we are being told that the results of an examination that should admit students into our hallowed tertiary institutions can no longer be trusted for what they are.

    “JAMB must, as a matter of national importance, realise the seriousness of its role in society and stop being in the news for the wrong reasons.

    “If its management can no longer hold forth, then let the Federal Government overhaul the entire board and save our country and her people from needless embarrassment’’, he said.

    NAN however, reports that Miss Ejikeme has denied the allegations, insisting that she scored a total of 362 marks in the examination as against JAMB’s 249 and adding that she printed the result from the board’s portal.

  • Ifeanyi Ubah slams Simon Ekpa for imposing sit-at-home in Anambra

    Ifeanyi Ubah slams Simon Ekpa for imposing sit-at-home in Anambra

    Senator representing Anambra South, Ifeanyi Ubah, has told a Biafran agitator, Simon Ekpa, to take his sit-at-home campaign to his home state of Ebonyi and leave Anambra State out of it.

    Ubah had urged residents of the state to open their businesses on the first weekday and shun the Monday sit-at-home order by non-state actors.

    There have been several reports of attacks on residents who defied the sit-at-home order of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    Last week, De-facto IPOB leader, Simon Ekpa ordered the South East states to embark on a sit-at-home exercise to protest the continued detention of erstwhile leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

    Ubah while reacting to the order said the move is detrimental to Anambra indegenes and has warned Ekpa to stay off Anambra indigenes.

    Ubah, who claimed that Ekpa has been seeking his attention, warned the secessionist against enforcing any sit-at-home in Nnewi, asking him to start with his people in Ebonyi State.

    He said: “For good two years now, we have observed sit-at-home every Monday. We have found out that we are losing jobs and business opportunities. As a representative of the good people of Anambra South, we say we will not continue to have sit-at-home on Mondays.

    “From this Monday, every business venture will be opened in Nnewi.

    “This is your warning Simon Ekpa, for 17 good times, you have mentioned Ifeanyi Uba. You have been seeking my attention, 17 good times and I am replying you today.

    “Never ever mention Ifeanyi Uba or Nnewi again. You are in Finland contesting for councilor or whatever. You go for your job every Monday but you want to ridicule us because you have internet to run propaganda.

    “Start your sit-at-home from Ebonyi before you mention Anambra and Nnewi. I am telling you Simon Ekpa, be careful.”

     

     

  • Mmesoma Ejikeme’s father speaks on controversial UTME score

    Mmesoma Ejikeme’s father speaks on controversial UTME score

    Mr Romanus Ejikeme, the father to Mmesoma Ejikeme, has said that her daughter had always come out as the overall best student from her nursery school days till date.

    Ejikeme made the disclosure while speaking with NAN on Monday in Onitsha.

    NAN reports that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), had accused Ejikeme of using a software to manipulate her score to 362 as against 249.

    According to him, “My daughter has been taking the first position from her nursery school till now. Some of these results are still with me and I have shown them to some journalists who came to my house and they were surprised.

    “I showed her results to them and they were like wow. Those who have met with her will know she can’t manipulate results.

    “I am just explaining to the world that my daughter’s result has been manipulated. I am not happy about it, they gave her result to another person and they are still intimidating her. What they are doing is not good.”

    In her reactions, Miss Ejikeme described the allegation of result manipulation as unfair as she did not use any software to manipulate her score as claimed by JAMB.

    Miss Ejikeme said that she used her exam registration number to login into JAMB portal and printed out her result through her phone.

    She said that since JAMB and the Department of State Security Service were working together, they should have completed investigation before releasing result, saying that she’s innocent of the allegation of result manipulation.

  • Anambra Govt. investigates Ejikeme’s JAMB result

    Anambra Govt. investigates Ejikeme’s JAMB result

    The Anambra Government has set up a panel of inquiry into the controversy trailing the highest scorer in the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, the Commissioner for Education, announced the setting up of the panel in a statement in Awka on Monday.

    “A panel of inquiry has been set up to work with security agents to investigate the allegation of falsification of result levelled against Mmesoma Ejikeme, who had earlier been showcased in the social media as having scored the highest,” she said.

    The commissioner described the controversy on the girl’s actual result as embarrassing, especially coming at a time Gov. Chukwuma Soludo was repositioning the education sector in Anambra.

    It could be recalled that Ejikeme, a student of Anglican Girls Secondary School Uruagu in Nnewi, had earlier been celebrated for emerging with the highest score of 362 in the 2023 UTME, a result described by JAMB as fake.

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) said in a statement on Sunday that Ejikeme inflated her actual result from 249 to 362.

    Meanwhile, the state government has hailed Nkechinyere Umeh who was declared by JAMB as the highest scorer nationwide with a cumulative mark of 360 in the 2023 UTME.

  • Anambra student celebrated as top UTME scorer faked result – JAMB

    Anambra student celebrated as top UTME scorer faked result – JAMB

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disclosed that Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma, the student who was celebrated as the top scorer in the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), faked her result.

    Recall that JAMB recently declared Nkechinyere Umeh who is also a native of Anambra State who scored 360, as the overall best candidate in the 2023 UTME.

     

    Mmesoma, a student of Anglican Girls Secondary School in Nnewi, Anambra State had in May disclosed that she had scored 362 in this year’s UTME, claiming to be the overall best candidate in the exam.

    Many Nigeria had celebrated her alleged achievement, including Innocent Chukwuma, founder of Innoson Motors, who awarded her a N3 million scholarship.

    However, a statement on Sunday by JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, stated that Mmesoma faked her result and that she got 249 in the exam.

    The statement added that she had manipulated her UTME result to deceive the public to fraudulently obtain scholarship and other recognitions.

     

    It added that some other candidates had actually obtained far lower scores than they are claiming and had used some funny software packages to manipulate their results to deceive unsuspecting members of the public.

    JAMB added that candidates who were caught manipulating their results would be prosecuted in due course.

    “The most pathetic of them all is the case of Miss Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma, who claimed to have scored 362 in the 2023 UTME and was awarded a N3m scholarship by Chief (Dr.) Innocent Chukwuma.

     

    “She was even set to be honoured by the Anambra State Government when one of its top officials put a call through to JAMB to confirm her claim only for the Board to reveal that Miss Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma had actually scored 249 and not 362 she claimed. She had manipulated her UTME result to deceive the public to fraudulently obtain scholarship and other recognitions.

     

    ‘The Board would like to state that the likes of Mmesoma are still out there deceiving those who are always in a hurry to bestow honours on candidates without confirming from the Board.

     

    “A similar case was that of one Atung Gerald in Kaduna, who claimed to have scored 380. His ethnic group had taken the issue up requesting that he should be given special recognition only for the Board to disappoint them with the incontestable fact that Atung never obtain the 2023 UTME application documents not to talk of sitting the examination.

     

    “The Board would, therefore, want to advise the public to always cross check these claims by candidates with the Board before rushing to honour them with undeserving awards as certain software have been created to fake their version of their results and put same out in the public space for fun and this is what the sponsors of these candidates are using to defraud good-spirited Nigerians such as Dr. Innocent, the founder of Innoson Motors, who sincerely desires to celebrate academic excellence by investing in the education of a young Nigerian.

     

    “We commended the likes of Dr. Innocent Chukwuma and wish to encourage other Nigerians, who desire to invest in the future of genuine youngsters, never to be discouraged but to always ensure that they get the authentic results from the Board as done by the Anambra State Ministry of Education, otherwise they will be celebrating criminality as this is just another new fraudulent method in town. However, these candidates only succeed in manipulating what they are holding as the authentic results are with the Board and would be transmitted to their schools of choice at the appropriate time,” the statement said.

  • Peace Commission orders immediate, indefinite suspension of Anambra palace secretary

    Peace Commission orders immediate, indefinite suspension of Anambra palace secretary

    The Anambra Truth, Justice and Peace Commission (ATJPC) has directed the immediate and indefinite suspension of Mr. Shadrach Okenwa, the Palace Secretary to Igwe Chidubem Iweka of Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area (LGA).

    The Commission gave the order in a statement issued after a public hearing on the causes of insecurity in Anambra communities in Awka on Tuesday.

    The ATJPC was constituted by Gov. Charles Soludo in June 2022 to inquire into the violent agitations and restiveness in the state and in neighboring States.

    The Commission is Chaired by Prof. Chidi Odinkalu with Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu as Secretary.

    In a statement signed by Odinkalu, ATJPC said an Anambra High Court, sitting in Ogidi and presided over by Hon. Justice Arinze Akabua, on March 16, 2017, entered a judgment against Okenwa and others for the shooting and killing of Obiesie Anaekwu on Dec. 5, 2012.

    It said in the case, with suit no. HID/MISC.30/2013 between Mrs. Ifeoma Helen Anaekwu and Obiesie Michael Anaekwu vs. State Security Service and 11 others, the respondents included Okenwa, sued as Igwe Iweka’s palace secretary.

    “The court found as a fact that the named respondents, including Mr Okenwa, were indeed present at Nkpor Junction on Dec. 12, 2012, during the attack and shooting of the applicants leading to injury and trauma to the first Applicant and the death of the second applicant.

    “This finding of fact by a competent court of law remains in force and has not been set aside, so the suspension takes immediate effect.”

    The Commission said it was surprised that over six years after this specific finding of fact by a court of law, Mr Shedrack Okenwa continues to hold the office as Igwe Iweka’s Palace Secretary.

    “His continued occupation of that office is an avoidable source of distrust in the community as well as disobedience of a court judgment,” it said.

    The Commission said Igwe Iweka, in a sworn testimony before the Commission, consented to the suspension order on Okenwa in the terms ordered by the Commission and would transmit the letter effectuating the suspension.

    The Commission called on Igwe Iweka to transmit the letter of Okenwa’s suspension from the office of Palace Secretary to its Secretariat within 48 hours.

    In his testimony, Igwe Iweka said insecurity and killings in Obosi were a fallout of a combination of cult gang fights, hard drugs dealings and animosities relating to his ascension to the throne in 2012.

    He said Obosi had become so unsafe such that he had escaped four assassination attempts while many had lost their lives, including the immediate past President General of the town.

    He said he had waged war against drug and narcotic trafficking in the area but had not received the desired cooperation from the institutions responsible for checking the crime.

    Other testifiers from Obosi decried the abandonment of the White Paper on Obosi Administrative Panel of Inquiry submitted in 2016.

    They said the implementation of the recommendation of the white paper would address to a large extent, the crux of the matter on Obosi insecurity.

  • Panic in Anambra Assembly as armed men try to whisk away member-elect

    Panic in Anambra Assembly as armed men try to whisk away member-elect

    There was panic at the Anambra State House of Assembly as four armed men, suspected to be operatives of the Directorate of Security Services (DSS), tried to whisk away member-elect for Nnewi North constituency, Mr Onyekachukwu Ike.

    The armed men drove into the Assembly complex in three vehicles and grabbed the member-elect after he participated in a valedictory thanksgiving mass for the seventh Assembly.

    They forced the member-elect into their vehicle and were trying to drive out of the Assembly complex when security personnel quickly locked the exit gate.

    The Acting Clerk of the Assembly, Mrs Esther Aneto, and other senior staff lamented that the suspected DSS operatives did not inform them or even the Police personnel at the Assembly before trying to whisk Ike away.

    One of the suspected DSS operatives, however, explained that they had a court order to arrest the member-elect.

    It took the intervention of the Speaker, Dr Uche Okafor, and the Deputy Governor, Dr Onyeka Ibezim, who came to represent the Governor at the Valedictory session of the seventh Assembly, before the member-elect was released.

  • NDLEA busts lethal drug syndicate, arrests members

    NDLEA busts lethal drug syndicate, arrests members

    Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), have arrested members of a syndicate involved in the illicit importation and trafficking of lethal synthetic opioid, Fentanyl.

    The Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Babafemi said that the drug was ‘100 times’ stronger than Tramadol and capable of causing mass casualty among the youths population being targeted by the cartels.

    He said that the operatives arrested two members of the syndicate: Collins Oguejiofor and Chigozie Uzoma at Ogbogwu market, Onitsha Head Bridge, Onitsha South LGA, Anambra State, in well-coordinated and clinical operations.

    Babafemi also said that the arrest was coming on the heels of an alert issued by the anti-narcotics agency on Tuesday, November 22, 2022 that some criminal elements were plotting to flood the Nigerian markets with the drug.

    This, he said, was currently responsible for over 70 per cent ‘overdose deaths’ as well as a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the United States.

    “According to the CDC in the US, Fentanyl is 80 times as potent as morphine and 100 times more potent than heroin.

    “Following credible intelligence and synergy with local and international partners,  NDLEA was able to mobilise necessary assets to trace the illicitly manufactured drug to the Ogbogwu market, Onitsha Head Bridge..

    “It was reputed to be the largest drug market in West Africa, after months of undercover monitoring, “he said.

    The NDLEA spokesman quoted the Chairman, NDLEA retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa as ordering a deployment of operatives to pick members of the syndicate one after the other.

    This, he said, was after the agency was convinced and had gathered sufficient evidence to nail the suspects.

    “Oguejiofor was the first to be arrested while on a business mission with packets of 100 micrograms of Fentanyl.

    “The arrest of Uzoma who is a major dealer in other illicitly manufactured pharmaceutical opioids including Fentanyl, followed.

    “While packs of liquid Fentanyl were recovered from Odoh, different quantities of banned and controlled drugs including Fentanyl were seized from Uzoma.

    Illicit drugs intercepted by the NDLEA operatives from suspected drug traffickers

    “They include: Ampules of Fentanyl Injection; Ozempic solution for injection in pre-filled pens; Ampules of Sustanon 250mg/ml; Ampules of Rivavirin injection 200mg/2ml;

    “Ampules of Erythropoietin injection; Ampules of Recombinant Anti Rho-D Immunoglobulin injection 300MG; Ampules of Pethidine 100mg/2ml solution for injection and Zoladex 3.6mg Goserelin, ” he said.

    Reacting to the arrest of members of the syndicate, Marwa commended all the officers and men of the agency involved in the operation.

    He directed them to intensify the crackdown on other members of the cartel who may have gone underground.

    “We’ll no doubt hunt down every member of this criminal gang before they do further harm to our public health especially our youth population.

    “In the meantime, I’ll like to thank our international partners for the huge confidence in us and their support and partnership for the benefit of humanity.

    “In the same vein, I’ll urge parents and other stakeholders to be vigilant, alert and warn their young ones against attempting experimenting with this illicit substance”, Marwa said.

    The NDLEA boss reiterated that exposure to the lethal opioid, which could come in different forms, as has been shown by the seizure, may result in pinpoint pupils.

    This, he said, included pupil falling asleep or losing consciousness, slow and shallow breathing, choking or gurgling sounds, limp body, pale, blue or cold skin.