Attempts by suspected examination fraudsters who have left Nigeria to initiate dialogue with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board have been firmly rejected, with the Registrar declaring that the board has no authority to negotiate with individuals facing criminal allegations.
Prof. Ishaq Oloyede made this declaration at the University of Ibadan during a training programme for test developers, stating that matters involving criminal conduct are handled exclusively by law enforcement agencies, not through administrative negotiations.
His comments came amid ongoing public scrutiny of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination registration process. Peter Obi, the Labour Party's 2023 presidential candidate, had recently voiced concerns about challenges some candidates were encountering at registration centres.
While Prof. Oloyede expressed personal regard for Obi, he warned that public commentary on institutional operations must not be allowed to compromise accountability structures or undermine the mechanisms designed to safeguard the examination system.
He revealed that individuals allegedly involved in widespread registration fraud and examination malpractice had relocated outside Nigeria and were now seeking to engage the board in discussions, seemingly as a strategy to evade legal action.
The Registrar made it plain that JAMB would not participate in any such discussions. He emphasised that the board would not take any action that could weaken the integrity of the UTME or disadvantage candidates who had been affected by fraudulent activities.
Prof. Oloyede also announced that JAMB had completed the final stage of its 10 year automation drive, with the digitisation of the question authoring process now allowing test developers to create examination questions remotely without needing to gather physically.
The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, praised the development, saying it would strengthen quality assurance in admissions. The Vice Chancellor of the African School of Economics, Prof. Mahfuz Adedimeji, described the initiative as a major achievement in JAMB's ongoing digitisation.
By maintaining a zero tolerance stance on fraud while advancing technological reforms, JAMB is reinforcing its commitment to delivering a credible and efficient examination system for Nigerian candidates.
