Many commentators, especially on social media, accused JAMB of being the judge in its own court, querying where the examination body derived the power to wield such a big stick.
When on 2 July the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in a statement accused a candidate who sat its 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), Mmessoma Ejikeme, of forging its result, many Nigerians doubted the examination body's claim.
Miss Ejikeme had flaunted a score of 362 on social media, out of the 400 marks obtainable. She also presented herself as the best candidate in the examination.
The claim by the 19-year-old student of the Anglican Girls Secondary School (AGSS), Nnewi, Anambra State, south-east Nigeria, attracted wide applause and commendation as both individuals, corporate bodies and the Anambra State Government announced various rewards for her.
JAMB said the candidate scored 249 in its examination and gave the identity of the best candidate as Umeh Ikechinyere, who it said scored 360.
However, both Miss Ejikeme and her father, Romanus Ejikeme, for some days, maintained their stance on the 362 and accused the examination body of insincerity.
Apparently, as a result of the endemic culture of distrust in Nigeria's public institutions, many Nigerians believed the examination body was insincere in its verdict.
The matter further degenerated when on 4 July, JAMB announced the withdrawal of the candidate's real score of 249 and barred her from taking its examination for the next three years.
Many commentators, especially on social media, accused JAMB of being the judge in its own court, querying where the examination body derived the power to wield such a big stick.
But following the intervention by the Anambra State Government, the candidate, in an abrupt manner, made a U-turn and admitted to forging the result. She confessed before a committee set up by the government to investigate the matter.
Meanwhile, a review of the law establishing JAMB showed the agency's dos and don'ts, and how and when its disciplinary power can be invoked.
What JAMB Act states
Here's what we found in the JAMB Act and the Examinations Malpractice Act (1999).
JAMB's establishing law granted the agency the responsibility of conducting matriculation examinations for entry into all universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in Nigeria.
Towards achieving the stated objective, JAMB introduced UTME, which was formerly known as the University Matriculation Examination (UME).
The name change became necessary when the examination body merged its UTME with its Polytechnic and Colleges of Education (PCE) Examination- a similar entrance examination that was conducted for candidates seeking admission into the polytechnics and colleges of education.
The board also has the powers to, according to the JAMB Decree amended in 1989, "appoint examiners, moderators, invigilators, members of the subject panels and committees and other persons with respect to matriculation examinations and any other matters incidental thereto or connected therewith."
But the law was silent on sanctions that can or should be taken against candidates, officials or examination centres that aid examination malpractice.
What Examination Malpractice Act says
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Examination Malpractice Act (1999) grants examination bodies like JAMB, the power to withhold, cancel or suspend a candidate's result, an examination official or an examination centre.
Section 16(1a) of the Act states that "notwithstanding the provisions of this Act, an examination body shall have the power to (a) withhold, suspend or cancel the results of a candidate or ban or blacklist a candidate from taking its examinations if it is satisfied that the candidate has engaged in any form of examination malpractice.
"(b) withdraw recognition, suspend, ban or blacklist or place on probation a school or an examination centre if it is satisfied that the school or examination centre is involved in any form of examination malpractice.
"(c) remove the name of, or withhold payment to a supervisor or an invigilator or any other official employed in the conduct of an examination if it is satisfied that the supervisor or invigilator or official has contributed to an examination malpractice.
Section 16(2) of the Act added that the examination body can also circulate the name of "an offending candidate, supervisor, invigilator, official, school or examination centre to other examination bodies which may impose similar punishment."
Candidate apologises
Earlier, the father of the indicted candidate, Mr Ejikeme, apologised to JAMB and Nigerians on behalf of the family, even as he expressed regret over his daughter's conduct.
But on Wednesday, Miss Mmesoma, who appeared before an adhoc committee of the House of Representatives at the National Assembly, also apologised to the examination body and pleaded for mercy.
Miss Mmesoma, who read her letter addressed to the Registrar of JAMB, Ishaq Oloyede, before the committee, said it was her first time engaging in such an ignoble act and pleaded for forgiveness.
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But some Nigerians have said her apology should not stop the 19-year-old from being punished, saying she should not be allowed to go scot-free for the deception and embarrassment caused Nigeria and the examination body, in particular.
In her recommendation, Kemi Asekun, a journalist, said putting the candidate behind bars would further harden her instead of the "reform she deserves."
She said to serve as deterrence, Miss Mmesoma should be made to engage in community service as punishment, and that the service should be publicly recorded to discourage others.
She said: "This is where I think the reform of our laws becomes very important. For such crimes at that age, it will not be advisable to send her to detention or prison as the case may be but it will also be fair to let her serve the community as deterrence.
"For instance, I will love to see her sweeping a public market in Nnewi for weeks and women throwing her brooms to sweep their shops as a form of punishment. This should be recorded and made public for Nigerians to see."
Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe.
