CHIKUN/KAJURU REP, HON. FIDELIX BAGUDU, ANNOUNCES NEW APPOINTMENTS TO STRENGTHEN INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE. (PHOTO).
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has launched a 23-member special purpose committee to investigate 6,458 cases of technology-driven malpractice detected during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The committee, inaugurated by JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, on Monday, August 18, 2025, in Abuja, is tasked with probing sophisticated forms of examination fraud and delivering a report within three weeks.
During the inauguration, Prof. Oloyede expressed concern over the increasing complexity of exam malpractices, which have evolved from traditional methods to advanced technological schemes. He highlighted cases involving biometric and identity fraud, image blending, falsification of albinism, finger pairing, and attempts to breach the local area networks of some Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres. “This year, we encountered a number of strange things, and we felt it would be better if we expanded our resources to tackle them,” Oloyede stated, emphasizing Nigeria’s wealth of expertise to address the issue.
The registrar revealed that while 141 cases of conventional exam malpractice have been referred to JAMB’s disciplinary committee, the newly formed committee will focus on “extraordinary infractions” involving accredited CBT centres and candidates. He urged the committee to conduct a thorough investigation and submit its findings by September 8, 2025.
The committee comprises distinguished members, including Prof. Muhammad Bello, Prof. Samuel Odewummi, Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, Prof. Ibe Ifeakandu, retired Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni, Dr. Chuks Okpaka of Microsoft Africa, and the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students. It also includes 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.
The formation of the committee underscores JAMB’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the UTME, a critical gateway for admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions. The investigation’s outcome is expected to inform stricter measures to curb examination fraud and ensure fairness in the admission process. As cases of high-tech cheating rise, stakeholders are calling for enhanced security protocols and public awareness to safeguard the credibility of the examination system.
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