WAEC Officials Held After Failing to Address Reps’ Queries on Accountability

By Milcah Tanimu

Four officials from the West African Examination Council (WAEC) were briefly detained on Wednesday following their failure to address questions from the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies during an investigative hearing in Abuja.

The detained officials include Amos Josiah Dangut, Head of National Office, Angus Okeleze, Senior Deputy Registrar, Victor Odu, Acting Director of Finance, and Segun Jerumeh, Deputy Director of Finance. The detention came after the committee was dissatisfied with their responses regarding WAEC’s accountability and financial management.

Rep. Uchenna Okonkwo had raised concerns during the hearing about WAEC’s reluctance to answer questions related to its financial and operational accountability to the parliament. Despite WAEC’s assertion that it is not a government agency and thus not answerable to the National Assembly, lawmakers argued that WAEC is a statutory body created by an Act of Parliament and should therefore be held accountable for its operations.

The committee highlighted that the National Assembly funds WAEC and noted that the examination body must adhere to the legislative frameworks of its member countries. In response to ongoing disputes and heated exchanges, Rep. Okonkwo proposed a motion for the officials to be detained until they could provide the necessary documentation.

The motion was supported by Rep. Marie Ebikake, leading to the temporary detention of the WAEC officials. They were held for approximately 15 minutes before being released to return with the requested documents.

During a subsequent closed-door session, the committee resolved to require the officials to submit the audited financial statements for WAEC from 2018 to 2024, as well as documentation related to a ₦5 billion loan taken in 2022 for the purchase of specialized equipment.

Committee Chairman Rep. Oforji Oboku emphasized that WAEC cannot operate outside the National Assembly’s oversight. He insisted that WAEC, despite its claims, is subject to Nigerian laws and must comply with parliamentary requirements. Failure to provide the requested documents will result in further sanctions.