The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has established a specialised committee to investigate sophisticated technological malpractices identified during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The committee was inaugurated on Monday in Abuja by JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, who expressed concern over the increasing complexity of examination fraud.
Oloyede revealed that the results of 6,458 candidates are currently being withheld due to suspicions of high-tech cheating.
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He emphasised that the nature of exam malpractice has evolved from traditional methods to technologically advanced forms, including identity and biometric fraud perpetrated by both candidates and some accredited CBT centres.
“We came across several strange things this year, and we felt it would be better if we expand our resources,” Oloyede stated, noting the need to tap into the nation’s expertise to combat these new threats.
He stressed that fighting exam fraud is a critical fight to protect the integrity of the country’s education system and its international image.
While 141 cases of “normal” malpractice have been handled by JAMB’s disciplinary committee, this new committee will focus on “extraordinary infractions” such as image and finger blending, false claims of albinism, and attempts to breach the Local Area Network of CBT centres.
The 23-member committee has a three-week deadline to complete its investigation.
Its terms of reference include identifying the methods and technologies used to perpetrate the fraud, reviewing current examination policies, and determining the culpability of the 6,458 candidates with withheld results.
Oloyede highlighted the importance of a swift resolution to ensure that innocent candidates are cleared in time for admissions.
Jake Epele, the committee’s chairman, pledged the group’s dedication to the task, describing it as a “sacred” duty to defend the credibility of examinations and restore public confidence.
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He emphasised that exam malpractice is a “direct assault on integrity, merit, and the future of our nation’s youth.”
The committee is comprised of distinguished individuals, including professors, a retired police commissioner, a representative from Microsoft Africa, and the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students.
