The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, has disclosed that over 15,000 candidates were found to have forged admission letters to qualify for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme.
Oloyede made the revelation on Monday during the 2025 Batch C Pre-Mobilisation Workshop organised by the NYSC in Abuja, noting that those involved are currently facing prosecution for forgery.
He explained that the large-scale fraud was uncovered following JAMB’s internal audit and cross-check of institutional records. “I couldn’t believe it when we discovered that 15,000 candidates forged admission letters,” Oloyede said, adding that “some deputy registrars and vice-chancellors—no fewer than 17 officials, including four JAMB staff—are already in prison custody.”
He urged stakeholders to adhere strictly to regulations, warning that deliberate misconduct would attract serious consequences.
NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, in his remarks, cautioned stakeholders against fraudulent practices that could undermine the scheme’s credibility. He decried the rise in forged credentials, multiple registrations, and identity theft among unqualified individuals seeking mobilisation.
According to him, such malpractices threaten the integrity of the NYSC mobilisation process, which is designed to uphold national values and ensure only qualified graduates participate in national service.
Nafiu noted that since the introduction of the NYSC Integrated System (NIS) in 2014, the scheme has achieved greater efficiency but continues to face cyber threats and data-related challenges. He reaffirmed NYSC’s commitment to sanctioning “degree mills” and unapproved study centres aiding fraudulent admissions.
Director of Corps Mobilisation, Mrs Rachel Idaewor, also emphasised that while progress has been made in modernising the mobilisation process, data integrity issues persist. She stressed that accurate and reliable data remain essential to maintaining the credibility and effectiveness of the NYSC scheme.
