The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has made an urgent appeal to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), requesting that the board reconsider its decision to invalidate the admissions of more than 7,000 graduates from various universities, including Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma. In a statement, NANS Senate President Akinteye Afeez called on JAMB, under the leadership of Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, to exercise leniency and focus on the future of the affected graduates.

Afeez pointed out that the irregularities leading to the invalidation were primarily due to the failure of institutional managements to comply with JAMB’s admission guidelines. He expressed concerns about the serious consequences of the decision, stating, “The impact of this decision is profound and far-reaching. Students who have invested years of hard work, faced financial and emotional challenges, and graduated—many of whom took loans—are now at risk of losing their hard-earned degrees.”

He further warned that the decision could lead to mental health struggles, frustration, and even criminal behavior among the affected students, particularly as they face the difficulties of an already fragile economy.

NANS has also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Honorable Minister of Education to intervene swiftly to prevent further harm to these graduates' lives and careers. The association emphasized that the federal government must take action quickly to prevent long-term damage.

In their statement, NANS made it clear that if the situation remains unresolved, they will mobilize affected students across the country for a mass protest at the Presidential Villa in January 2025.

NANS has urged JAMB to shift its disciplinary focus to the administrators of the institutions responsible for the irregularities, rather than punishing the innocent students who had no role in these issues. As tensions rise, education stakeholders are closely monitoring whether JAMB will heed NANS' request and reverse its decision.

For now, the futures of over 7,000 graduates hang in the balance, awaiting a resolution that could have significant implications for the management of higher education in Nigeria.