JAMB Identifies 8 Sophisticated Exam Malpractice Formats, Says Over 3,000 Candidates Benefited From Tech-Based Malpractices, Threatens to Withdraw Their Results

By: Olufemi Orunsola 

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on examination malpractice, revealing alarming practices that led to the withdrawal of results and arrests across the country.

OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered from a statement by the board's Public Communication Adviser, Fabian Benjamin, that no fewer than 8 sophisticated malpractice formats were detected by the board after thorough reviews and investigations.

According to the board, over three thousand candidates nationwide have been identified as accomplices or beneficiaries of these fraudulent activities.

JAMB has threatened that their results will be withdrawn as incontrovertible proofs are established, even if previously released. The Board also confirmed that some previously released results have been withdrawn, with affected candidates being notified via text messages, profiles, and emails.

The examination malpractice formats deployed as detected include:

1.Compromised Special CBT Centres. Several Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres have been identified for serious registration and examination malpractices. These centres will be blacklisted, and complicit owners prosecuted. Individuals involved in registering candidates with modified pictures and biometrics will also face apprehension and prosecution.

2. Special Tutorial Centre Scrutiny: The Board expressed concern over the role of some tutorial centres in perpetuating examination malpractices, urging governments to regulate, license, and monitor them effectively to curb dishonesty.

3.Sophisticated Digital Fraud: Recent investigations, aided by security agencies, have uncovered advanced digitalized fraud methods. These include:

4.Hacking of CBT centre networks: Perpetrators, including some CBT centre/school proprietors, remotely controlled candidates’ computers to submit responses.

5.AI-enabled photo blending: Used to create fake identities for impersonators, many of whom are current undergraduates.

6.Combined fingerprints: Registration involving fingerprints from multiple individuals for a single candidate.

7.Extension of Local Area Networks (LAN) from centres to remote “strong rooms.”

8. Pairing candidates with “professional mercenaries” who had registered for the UTME.

Meanwhile, the board has said it remained poised to addressing misinformation and misleading narratives, particularly regarding candidates who allegedly scored highly in cancelled sessions.

The Board clarified that only a handful scored above 217 in affected sessions, with 99% scoring below 200, refuting claims of numerous high scorers.

The Board also cited the case of Mr. Olisa Gabriel Chukwuemeka, a first-year Public Health student at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), who falsely claimed a 2025 UTME score of 326 on social media. Investigation revealed he doctored his 2024 UTME score of 203, and his actual 2025 score (before withdrawal) was 180. Thereafter, Mr. Olisa has deactivated his social media account.

In all, JAMB has reiterated its commitment to restoring public confidence in the integrity of public examinations while maintaining zero tolerance for examination malpractices under any guise or disguise, both digital and non-digital formats.