The ongoing legal battle involving a former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Dibu Ojerinde, may be resolved outside the courtroom, as both parties have agreed to explore a possible administrative settlement.
At the Federal High Court in Abuja, on the 16th of July, 2025, defence counsel Eteya Ogana informed Justice Obiora Egwuatu that the defence would not be opening its case as earlier scheduled.
He disclosed a new development.
“There is a development; an intervention which parties are exploring to see if the matter can be administratively settled,”he told the court, adding:“That is our humble application.”
He also requested a long adjournment beyond the court’s vacation to allow time for the outcome of the talks.
The ICPC’s legal representative, Lesie Iheduru, supported the submission.
“The position stated by the learned counsel for defence is absolutely correct,”
he said, confirming that reconciliation efforts were ongoing and the prosecution had no objection to the adjournment.
Justice Egwuatu agreed and set the 20th of October, as the new date for the report on the outcome or continuation of the defence.
This isn’t the first time a settlement has been considered.
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In February 2022, Ojerinde had sought a plea bargain with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), but that attempt failed.
The case began in July 2021 when the ICPC arraigned him on an 18-count charge linked to alleged financial misconduct while he headed both the National Examinations Council (NECO) and JAMB.
He denied all charges; earlier, on the 10th of June, Justice Egwuatu rejected a no-case submission by Ojerinde, ruling that he had to open his defence.
The defence had argued that the prosecution had not made a solid case.
The ICPC alleged that Ojerinde abused his office and diverted public funds totaling N5.2 billion during his tenure.
The commission claimed he personally benefitted from the fraudulent acts while in charge of the two national examination bodies.
Charges were based on violations of several sections of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and the Advance Fee Fraud Act, 2006.