News
15-year old sues Education Ministry, JAMB over age limit policy on university admission
Nigeria’s Education Ministry, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the National Universities Commission (NUC), have been dragged to court over the government’s policy which seeks to limit admissions into Nigerian universities to applicants who attain the age of 18.
Master Chinaemere Opara, a 15-year-old Senior Secondary School (SSS) Student, filed the suit through his guardian, Mr. Maxwell Opara, his father and a lawyer, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday.
In the originating motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1512/2024 dated Sept. 30 and filed Oct. 14 by Wayne Elijah, the SS 2 student listed the ministry, JAMB and NUC as 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.
In his six reliefs, the applicant sought a declaration that the respondents’ minimum age for admission policy to restrict the age of Nigerian citizens for admission into universities in the country is discriminatory and unconstitutional.
He said it amounted to a gross violation of his right to freedom of expression as guaranteed under Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution, 2011 (as amended) and Article 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 13(2), 17 and 28 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap A9 Vol. 1 LFN.
He urged the court to declare that his right to peaceful assembly and association cannot be limited by the respondents’ admission policy.
He also sought a declaration that the policy, which restricts his age before exercising his right of association and self-determination as to when to enrol to write the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) and/or JAMB exams infringed on his right of equal access to public service.
This, he said, is guaranteed under Article 13(2) and (3) of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap A9 Vol. 1 LFN.
Opara, therefore, sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents, from attempting to disturb, breach or interfere with his rights.
Two Nigerian-born scientists—Adesola Adegoke, a researcher at Arizona State University (ASU), and Seunnla Adelusi, a PhD candidate at the Université de Sherbrooke, Canada—have been named among the 20 global winners of the Digital GreenTalents Award 2025.
These two Nigerians were announced among the winners during a virtual ceremony held on 25 November. In a statement following the virtual announcement ceremony, the organisers said the 20 awardees for this year joined from different time zones, including “very early morning in Canada and evening hours in the Philippines.”
The digital Green Talent Award is an annual initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) that recognises outstanding young researchers whose work advances sustainability through digital innovation.
Each year, 20 scientists are selected from a competitive global pool for their cutting-edge ideas at the intersection of digitalisation and environmental sustainability.
Alex Otti, the Abia State Governor, on Sunday paid a visit to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, at the Sokoto Correctional Centre.
The governor was accompanied by officials of the Sokoto State Government during the closed-door visit.
Nnamdi Kanu was recently moved to Sokoto after he was convicted on terrorism-related charges and handed a life sentence by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Governor Otti had earlier promised to pursue every lawful and political avenue to ensure that Kanu gets justice. Sunday’s visit is seen as part of ongoing efforts by the Abia State Government regarding his case.
Details of the meeting were not made public as of the time of this report.
Armed terrorists have abducted a bride-to-be, her bridesmaid, and eight other residents from Chacho village in Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State
The Sokoto abduction occurred around 1:30 a.m., according to residents, when the attackers stormed the village. Most of the victims were women, with only one man also taken.
One resident sustained injuries and is receiving medical treatment. Villagers told reporters that the bride was preparing for her wedding scheduled for later that morning when the raid struck, plunging the community into shock and mourning.
A community member described the attack as “tragic,” noting the delay in security response. “Security operatives were alerted immediately, but they only arrived about an hour after the bandits had fled,” he said, expressing frustration.
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