The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has moved to withhold the registrations of 83 candidates confirmed to have paid for fraudulent advantages in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, following an investigation that exposed an artificial intelligence driven fraud network operating across 25 states.
Is haq Oloyede, the JAMB Registrar, disclosed this on Saturday in Abuja, announcing that recommendations have been submitted to the Minister of Education for the cancellation of the affected registrations.
The investigation revealed that over 100 candidates were linked to the scheme, with criminal syndicates deploying AI tools to impersonate JAMB officials and defraud students preparing for the examination. Three school proprietors are currently in custody for aiding and abetting the malpractice.
Mr. Oloyede made it clear that the students and their parents could not claim innocence. "What is important for us to emphasise here is that the students themselves and their parents are willing collaborators and cannot be regarded as innocent," he stated.
He revealed that approximately 38,000 underage students have registered for the 2026 UTME. Mr. Oloyede directed harsh criticism at parents facilitating such schemes. "Parents must understand that paying for fraud does not secure a child's future. It destroys it. You are teaching them that cheating is a strategy, that deception is acceptable, and that merit is optional," he said.
The investigation also uncovered complicity within JAMB. Three top officials of the board have been found to have collaborated in sabotaging the system and have been recommended for dismissal. Two other officials and a staff member of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, are currently facing criminal prosecution for involvement in activities that undermine the examination body's integrity.
Mr. Oloyede rejected suggestions that JAMB should negotiate with suspects, including some who allegedly fled Nigeria after last year's examination. He confirmed that some computer based test centres had been sanctioned and warned that severe consequences await those involved in fraud.
"Let it be clearly understood by all Nigerians that paying for examination fraud is a crime. Receiving illegal assistance is a punishable offence. Being a willing member of a WhatsApp group where these fake services are offered will no longer be condoned. Ignorance will not be accepted as a defence," he declared.
The board is collaborating with security agencies to dismantle the fraud networks. "As for capacity, we have the capacity to deal with all these issues. If we did not have the capacity, we would not be able to stay ahead of them. As they are planning, we are planning," he said, adding that JAMB has enhanced its technical systems to detect prohibited devices during examinations.
JAMB's ongoing battle with fraud has intensified since it transitioned to Computer Based Testing in 2013. In the 2025 UTME cycle, the board withheld over 39,800 results due to suspected irregularities, including biometric fraud and impersonation.
The latest crackdown shows JAMB's holding candidates, parents, and collaborators accountable. The board is using technology and interagency collaboration to restore credibility to Nigeria's most important tertiary entrance examination.
