The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disclosed that Anambra and Lagos recorded the most incidents of malpractice during the recently concluded Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
AMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, revealed that 80 individuals have so far been apprehended for various exam-related offences across the country. Anambra led the list with 14 suspects, closely followed by Lagos with nine.
the offences ranged from impersonation and possession of prohibited devices to biometric fraud and collusion with Computer-Based Test (CBT) centers
“In Anambra alone, we recorded 13 cases of impersonation and one incident involving mismatched photographs,” he stated. Lagos was not far behind, with its suspects caught for impersonation, spying, and carrying mobile phones into the examination halls—violations JAMB has repeatedly warned against. Other states on the malpractice list include Delta, Kano, Kaduna, and Rivers, each reporting between six and eight cases. Delta recorded eight incidents, while Kano and Kaduna followed with seven and six, respectively.
We encountered biometric manipulation, the use of combined thumbprints between candidates and their impersonators, and cases of double registration,”
One of the strange cases According to JAMB, involved a blind candidate who allegedly recruited a fellow blind undergraduate to take the exam in his place—a move the board described as both desperate and disheartening.
JAMB has reiterated its commitment to upholding the integrity of the UTME, with Oloyede affirming that all suspects are currently undergoing investigation and will face appropriate legal actions. The board says it is working to close loopholes and strengthen its systems to prevent future occurrences of exam malpractice.
This year’s revelations have raised serious concerns about the integrity of the examination process in some regions, with education stakeholders calling for stricter oversight and more robust technological safeguards.
