A civil society organisation, the Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative (EUYI), has raised concerns over an alleged recruitment exercise conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), accusing the agency of carrying out the process in secrecy and in violation of established procedures.

Led by its National Coordinator, Comrade Danesi Momoh Prince, and Secretary, Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta, the group alleged that JAMB recently issued more than 100 employment letters in June 2026, barely six weeks before the expiration of the tenure of the Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede.

The group described the alleged exercise as questionable, arguing that there was no publicly known advertisement of vacancies or evidence of an open and competitive recruitment process.

According to EUYI, the timing of the alleged recruitment raises concerns, particularly as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had already appointed Professor Segun Aina to take over the leadership of JAMB with effect from July 30, 2026.

The organisation argued that after spending ten years at the helm of the examination body and overseeing several recruitment exercises during that period, there was no apparent urgency to embark on a large-scale employment exercise at the twilight of the administration.

EUYI further claimed that if the allegations are confirmed, the exercise could amount to a breach of constitutional and statutory provisions governing recruitment into federal agencies. It cited provisions relating to transparency, federal character compliance and equal opportunity in public service employment.

The group also expressed concern that millions of unemployed Nigerians continue to face barriers in accessing public sector jobs, alleging that vacancies are often filled through opaque processes that deny qualified applicants the opportunity to compete.

While stressing that its claims remain allegations pending official clarification, the organisation called on JAMB to publicly explain the circumstances surrounding the reported recruitment exercise, including details of advertisements, applications received, selection criteria and approvals obtained.

EUYI also put the Federal Character Commission on notice, urging the commission to clarify its role in the alleged exercise and ensure that all statutory requirements were complied with.

The organisation warned that it would pursue the matter vigorously as part of its campaign against what it described as job racketeering and exclusionary recruitment practices in public institutions.

It subsequently gave JAMB three days to respond to the allegations and provide information that would assure Nigerians that due process was followed.

As of the time of filing this report, JAMB had not issued an official response to the allegations