Jubilation in Sardauna LGA As JAMB Restores CBT Centre

 

There was jubilation across Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State on Tuesday following the official restoration of the area's only Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

 

The development comes weeks after concerns were raised over the delisting of the centre, a situation that had forced candidates to travel long distances and incur heavy costs to register for and sit the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

 

Community leaders, parents and education stakeholders described the decision as a major relief, particularly for students on the Mambilla Plateau who were facing the prospect of spending hundreds of thousands of naira on transportation, accommodation and feeding just to access UTME services outside the local government.

 

Stakeholders have attributed the reversal to sustained advocacy and coordinated interventions by political leaders, traditional figures, legal practitioners, security authorities, the media and social media influencers from the area.

 

Special commendation was given to Chief GeeTee Kataps Ngwii for what was described as strategic engagement and persistent communication with relevant authorities. Senator Manu was also praised for personally visiting the JAMB headquarters to press the demand of the people of Sardauna.

 

Barrister Umar Bangari was acknowledged for promptly drawing the attention of the Honourable Minister of Education to the implications of the delisting, while Rt. Hon. Abel Peter was commended for standing firmly with the people and lending his voice at a critical moment.

 

Appreciation was also extended to the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Madakin Mambilla, Alhaji Abdulrahman Usman Leme, for their timely support, as well as Hon. Mohammed J. Umar, Executive Chairman of Sardauna Local Government Council, for his leadership and backing throughout the process.

 

Media organisations, including Rock FM 92.3 Jalingo and Taraba Truth and Facts Newspaper, were lauded for consistently amplifying the concerns of the people and keeping the issue in the public space, while social media influencers on the Mambilla Plateau were credited with mobilising attention and support online.

 

Speaking on behalf of the community, JD Yaji described the restoration of the CBT centre as proof that collective action and responsive leadership can deliver results.

 

"This victory reminds us that when leaders listen and communities unite, positive change is inevitable," he said, adding that the development also underscores the growing power of social media as a tool for advocacy, unity and progress in the 21st century.

 

With the CBT centre restored, residents say students in Sardauna Local Government can now access UTME registration and examinations locally, easing financial pressure on families and restoring confidence in equal access to education.