JAMB has set up a 23-member committee to investigate 6,458 withheld UTME results.
The move tackles sophisticated exam malpractice, including biometric manipulation and hacking attempts at accredited test centers.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has launched a special committee consisting of 23 members to examine 6,458 results that were withheld from the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). This action is in response to an unusual number of technology-related cheating incidents.
The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, inaugurated the panel on Monday in Abuja, warning that examination malpractice in Nigeria has grown increasingly sophisticated, requiring equally advanced countermeasures.
“This year, we encountered several unusual occurrences, prompting us to consider expanding our resources. We are confident that our nation is blessed with abundant resources that we can utilize,” Oloyede remarked. He instructed the committee to present its findings within three weeks.
According to him, while 141 cases of traditional malpractice, such as impersonation, copying, and smuggling of devices into exam halls have already been referred to JAMB’s disciplinary committee, the 6,458 cases currently under review involve “extraordinary infractions.”
These include highly technical schemes such as image blending, albinism falsification, biometric manipulation, finger pairing, and attempts to hack or compromise the Local Area Networks (LANs) of accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centers. Oloyede said some CBT operators were complicit in enabling identity fraud, making the problem more complex.
The newly inaugurated committee is made up of senior academics, security experts, and representatives from the tech industry and civil society. Members include 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 (NANS).
Also represented are the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force, and the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools. Their combined expertise is expected to help JAMB develop both investigative outcomes and preventive strategies against future infractions.
Oloyede stressed that malpractice undermines the credibility of the education system and denies deserving candidates admission opportunities. He said JAMB’s priority remains fairness and integrity in testing, warning candidates and institutions against attempting to circumvent the system.
The committee is expected not only to decide the fate of the 6,458 withheld results but also to recommend long-term measures to counter high-tech exam fraud, which has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges in Nigeria’s education sector.
