The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has inaugurated a 23-member Special Committee on Examination Infraction to investigate cases of technology-driven malpractice detected during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, expressed concern over the rising sophistication of exam fraud, which has led to the withholding of results for 6,458 candidates suspected of high-tech cheating.
The committee, inaugurated on Monday in Abuja, is tasked with investigating all cases of image blending, finger blending, false claims of albinism, and result falsification in the 2025 examination. Additionally, the committee will identify the methods, patterns, tools, and technologies used to perpetrate these infractions and review current examination and registration policies to recommend improvements.
The committee’s terms of reference include :
– Investigating Malpractice Cases: Probe all cases of image blending, finger blending, false claims of albinism, and result falsification.
– Identifying Methods and Patterns: Determine the methods, patterns, tools, and technologies used to perpetrate these infractions.
– Reviewing Policies: Review current examination and registration policies and recommend improvements.
– Determining Culpability: Determine the culpability or otherwise of each of the 6,458 suspected candidates and recommend disciplinary actions or sanctions.
– Proposing a Framework: Propose a proactive framework for detecting, deterring, and preventing technologically enabled examination fraud in future exercises.
The 23-member committee comprises esteemed individuals from various fields, including:
– Academics: Prof. Muhammad Bello, Prof. Samuel Odewummi, Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, and Prof. Ibe Ifeakandu.
– Security Experts: Retired Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni and representatives from the Office of the National Security Adviser and Department of State Services.
– Technology Expert: Dr. Chuks Okpaka of Microsoft Africa.
– Student Representative: The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students.
The committee is expected to submit its report within three weeks of its inauguration. According to Oloyede, “justice delayed is justice denied,” and the committee’s findings will help ensure that those found guilty are sanctioned, while those found innocent can proceed with their admission process.
The investigation into exam malpractice is a crucial step in maintaining the credibility of Nigeria’s educational system. The committee’s work will help to restore public confidence and ensure that diligence and honesty remain the pathway to opportunity. As Dr. Jake Epele, the committee’s chairman, noted, “Examination malpractice is not just a breach of rules; it is a direct assault on integrity, merit, and the future of our nation’s youth”.
