Former JAMB Boss Ordered to Defend Himself in Major Fraud Case
The drama around Professor Dibu Ojerinde, the former head of Nigeria’s powerful exam bodies JAMB and NECO, just got a lot heavier. On June 10, 2025, a Federal High Court in Abuja refused to stop his criminal trial for allegedly pocketing a jaw-dropping N5.2 billion while running those agencies. The move shuts down Ojerinde’s attempt to end the trial early by claiming there was “no case to answer.”
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has thrown a long list of accusations at Ojerinde. They’re not just talking about the odd missing file—there are 18 serious charges, all pointing to a sophisticated scheme where public money simply vanished. Investigators say Ojerinde moved government funds into personal accounts, even allegedly using fake names and identities to cover his tracks. That’s not small change; we’re talking billions.
During his years at the top of JAMB and NECO—two organizations every Nigerian student knows well—Ojerinde was supposed to protect public trust. Instead, according to the ICPC, he abused his position and made off with funds that could have supported schools, exam centers, and educational reforms. The scandal first surfaced in July 2021, when the ICPC formally charged him after months of digging into contracts, bank records, and government transactions that just didn’t add up.
Inside the Courtroom: Key Evidence and Delays
The courtroom itself has seen a lot. Prosecutors lined up witnesses who gave detailed testimony on how money was allegedly misused. They didn’t just talk in circles—they showed records, highlighted suspicious transactions, and pointed out numerous accounts linked to Ojerinde’s name or those of supposed relatives and shell companies. That’s what made the judge, Obiora Egwuatu, decide on Monday that the case couldn’t just be dismissed. He said enough evidence was put forward to require Ojerinde to come forward with a real defense.
It hasn’t all been smooth. The defense has tried different tactics to slow things down. At one point in 2021, the court hit them with a fine of N100,000 for wasting time and dragging out the process. Meanwhile, Ojerinde has kept pleading not guilty across the board, insisting he’s the victim of false accusations. He hoped the court would agree, but now he’ll have to take the stand and respond to every single detail the ICPC has presented.
This isn’t just courtroom drama for lawyers—this case stands as one of the highest-profile fraud prosecutions involving a major figure in the Nigerian exam system. People are watching closely, not just because of the eye-popping sums involved, but because it tests how seriously the country’s anti-corruption agencies are willing to challenge those with influence. With the next hearing set for July 16, 2025, attention will turn back to Ojerinde’s side of the story—and whether he can answer the very specific charges that now shadow his career.
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