News Report | Hobnob News
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has launched a comprehensive investigation into 6,458 candidates suspected of engaging in technologically driven malpractice during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Inaugurating a 23-member Special Committee on Examination Infraction on Monday in Abuja, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, expressed concern over the increasing sophistication of exam fraud, which has evolved from traditional schemes to advanced digital manipulation.
“This year we encountered a number of strange infractions, and we felt it necessary to expand our resources. Examination malpractice is something that we must fight with every pinch of blood in our veins,” Oloyede said.
According to him, detected cases included biometric identity fraud, image blending, falsification of albinism claims, and attempts to compromise Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres’ networks. While 141 conventional malpractice cases have already been forwarded to JAMB’s disciplinary committee, the newly inaugurated panel will focus on “extraordinary infractions.”
Oloyede outlined the committee’s mandate to include:
Investigating all cases of image manipulation, identity fraud, and result falsification.
Identifying emerging technologies and methods used to perpetrate exam fraud.
Reviewing current registration and examination policies.
Determining the culpability of each of the 6,458 candidates with withheld results.
Recommending sanctions for guilty individuals and proposing new frameworks to prevent future infractions.
He stressed the urgency of the probe, directing the committee to submit its findings within three weeks to avoid delays in the ongoing 2025 admission process.
Responding, committee chairman Dr. Jake Epele described the assignment as “a sacred duty,” pledging fairness, transparency, and determination.
“Examination malpractice is not just a breach of rules. It is a direct assault on integrity, merit, and the future of our youth,” he said. “This is more than a committee assignment—it is a call to defend the credibility of our education system.”
The committee includes academics, security experts, ICT specialists, and representatives from key national institutions, such as the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force, and the National Association of Nigerian Students.
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