A wave of anger swept through a JAMB examination centre in Ibadan, Oyo State, as frustrated candidates went on a rampage, damaging chairs and other properties. The unrest followed a reported technical fault that caused delays in the conduct of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The chaos broke out on Friday, 25 April 2025, at the Abimbola Excel School CBT centre situated in the Elesin, Amuloko area along Akanran Road in Ona Ara Local Government Area of Ibadan.
Footage obtained revealed the agitated candidates venting their frustration by vandalizing plastic chairs within the exam hall, expressing outrage over their inability to participate in the scheduled test.
Although security officials eventually arrived to calm the situation and restore order, there were no reports of any arrests made during the incident.
This disruption adds to a series of recurring technical issues that have plagued the UTME in recent years. Similar challenges were recorded in 2024, prompting JAMB to reschedule affected students’ examinations.
The 2025 UTME officially began on Thursday, drawing over two million participants nationwide aiming for admission into various tertiary institutions.
According to figures released by JAMB officials, a total of 2,030,627 candidates registered to take the exam across multiple centres in Nigeria.
Interestingly, among those registered, 41,026 candidates are below the age of 16.
JAMB spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, noted that the board had made necessary adjustments in collaboration with its partner agencies to ensure the smooth conduct of the exams despite such interruptions.
