The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has accused the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) as being among Nigerian universities issuing illegal admission to candidates.

JAMB, however, warned candidates that only admission through its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) was valid and not otherwise.

Fabian Benjamin, Head, Public Affairs and Protocol, JAMB, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

“The attention of the Board has been drawn to illegitimate admissions purported being conducted by some universities, including the University of Abuja.

“These universities have been reported to be issuing admission letters to candidates without recourse to the board.

“It is, therefore, pertinent to state that such admissions that have not been processed, approved and accepted on the CAPS are null and void.

“As such, asking hapless candidates to pay acceptance fees for such admissions that have not been processed through CAPS amounts to illegality. Consequently, such admissions are illegal, therefore remain null and void.

“They are unacceptable and offensive to extant rules and regulations guiding admissions to tertiary institutions in Nigeria as approved by the Federal Ministry of Education and provided on CAPS,” the board said.

The board recalled that it instituted CAPS in 2017 as an automated platform, designed to ensure that admissions were transparently done to protect the interest of all Nigerians desirous of tertiary education.

“JAMB, therefore, advised candidates to be alert and refuse to accept any admissions not processed, approved and accepted on CAPS.

“By implication, any candidate who has not accepted and printed his or her admissions letter on CAPS should not pay any acceptance fee.

“It should be noted that admission guidelines stipulate that institutions recommend qualified candidates through CAPS in accordance with laid-down criteria to the board for approval.

“As such, any such admission not approved by the board is an exercise in futility”