BY NGOZI A. NWANKWO
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has inaugurated a special 23-member committee to investigate cases of technology-driven malpractice detected during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). This move comes as the results of 6,458 candidates remain under investigation for alleged high-tech cheating.
In a Monday ceremony in Abuja, JAMB’s Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, expressed concern over the rising sophistication of exam fraud. “This year we came across a number of strange things, and we felt that it would be better if we expand our resources,” he said, emphasizing the need to tap into the nation’s diverse expertise. According to him, malpractice has evolved beyond traditional schemes into technologically sophisticated forms, including multiple cases of biometric and identity fraud perpetrated by some accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centers and candidates.
Oloyede stressed that urgent action is needed to protect the credibility of examinations. “Examination malpractice is something that we must fight with every ounce of blood in our veins,” he declared, warning that unchecked fraud could damage several sectors and tarnish Nigeria’s international image. He disclosed that while 141 cases of “normal” exam malpractice have been referred to JAMB’s disciplinary committee, this new special committee will handle “extraordinary infractions” such as image blending, albinism falsification, finger pairing, and attempts to breach the Local Area Network of some CBT centres.
The Registrar outlined the committee’s specific terms of reference: to investigate all cases of image blending, finger blending, false claims of albinism, and result falsification in the 2025 examination; to identify the methods, patterns, tools, and technologies used to perpetrate these infractions; to review current examination and registration policies and recommend improvements; to determine the culpability of each of the 6,458 suspected candidates whose results are being withheld; to recommend appropriate disciplinary actions or sanctions against individuals or groups found culpable; to propose a proactive framework for the detection, deterrence, and prevention of technologically enabled examination fraud in future exercises; to consider and advise on any other related issues; and to submit a report no later than three weeks after the committee’s inauguration to avoid justice being delayed. Oloyede added that a three-week timeframe was chosen because “justice delayed is said to be justice denied.” He noted that with admissions closing in about four weeks, those found not guilty should be given the opportunity to proceed.
Responding, the committee chairman, Dr. Jake Epele, praised Oloyede’s leadership and pledged the committee’s commitment. “Examination malpractice is not just a breach of rules. It is a direct assault on integrity, merit, and the future of our nation’s youth,” he said. “The task before us is therefore a sacred one. I believe that everyone in this committee, you don’t have a committee job. You have a call from God Almighty to defend the credibility of our examination, restore public confidence, and ensure that diligence and honesty remain the true pathway to opportunity. I assure you that I will lead this committee with fairness, transparency, and determination.”
Members of the committee include prominent figures such as Professor Muhammad Bello, Professor Samuel Odewummi, Professor Chinedum Nwajiuba, Professor Tanko Ishaya, Professor Ibe Ifeakandu, retired Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni, and Dr. Chuks Okpaka of Microsoft Africa. The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students is also a member, along with representatives from the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force, and the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, among others.