UTME 2025: JAMB to Drag Dozens of Candidates to Court, Reason Emerges

• The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) said it will work with law enforcement agencies to prosecute any candidate or institution found breaching its code of operations
• The board announced this in its latest weekly bulletin, made available to Legit.ng on Monday, May 5
• JAMB said henceforth, stringent measures, including prosecution, would be taken against erring candidates or institutions once they have been clearly indicted

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering education in Nigeria and worldwide.

Garki, Abuja - The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is preparing to prosecute more than 60 individuals implicated in various forms of misconduct during the recently-concluded Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) 2025.

The foremost examination board disclosed this in its weekly bulletin which was obtained by Legit.ng on Monday, May 5.

UTME 2025: JAMB to take exam cheaters to court

JAMB said it took the decision to tackle the scourge of examination malpractice in Nigeria.

Per the bulletin, the announcement was made by JAMB registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, who spoke to reporters after overseeing the conduct of the UTME in Kogo, Abuja. Oloyede shared that the suspects were primarily arrested for impersonation and other related unauthorised activities.

Prof. Oloyede noted that the apprehended individuals were taken from multiple computer-based test (CBT) centres across the nation and are currently undergoing profiling by relevant security agencies in preparation for their court appearances.

The JAMB boss said:

“Those arrested are currently in the custody of security agencies as we prepare for their prosecution.”

Furthermore, Prof. Oloyede mentioned that the board intends to investigate cases involving candidates who failed biometric verification to determine the legitimacy of their registration.

Prof. Oloyede also confirmed that there will be no make-up exams for latecomers, emphasising that the UTME is a one-time examination.

Education minister issues stern warning to UTME candidates

In the same vein, Tunji Alausa, the minister of education, has issued a strong warning to candidates who recently participated in the UTME to categorically reject any form of examination malpractice. This admonition came during his recent visit to JAMB's headquarters where he engaged with candidates awaiting verification for the UTME.

In his address, Alausa underscored the paramount importance of upholding integrity throughout the examination process.

He made it abundantly clear that any individual found engaging in dishonest practices will face stringent repercussions.

Minister Alausa asserted:

“Integrity is non-negotiable in academia."

The minister urged Nigerian youths to approach their studies with unwavering confidence and honesty as he conveyed his best wishes to the UTME candidates.

He expressed his unwavering confidence in JAMB's 'capacity' to administer a transparent and credible examination process.

UTME 2025: Expert speaks on sharp practices

Meanwhile, Prince AbdulMujeeb Adesegun Ogungbayi, the board chairman of MIMS Educational Services, advised Nigerians to stop corruption in the country, to effectively curtail malpractices in UTME.

He told Legit.ng:

“Under Oloyede's leadership, JAMB has implemented robust measures to detect and expose students who engage in fraudulent activities. However, the root of the problem lies deeper, suggesting that corrupt officials, including school proprietors, principals, and teachers, often facilitate exam malpractice. This is a symptom of a broader corruption issue in Nigeria."

JAMB speaks on when UTME 2025 results will be released

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that JAMB said it is currently reviewing the details of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted so far

As soon as due process is complete, the results of candidates who wrote the examination since Thursday, April 24, will be released

Source: Legit.ng