- The exam registrar said 141 conventional malpractice cases already referred to JAMB disciplinary committee for further scrutiny and necessary disciplinary action.
- Oloyede insisted three-week deadline crucial to avoid delays in admission processes and ensure innocent candidates were not unfairly punished.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has set up a special panel to look into cases of malpractice recorded during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The registrar of the board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, inaugurated the 23-member Special Committee on Examination Infraction in Abuja on Monday.
He explained that the committee was necessary because over 6,000 results were being withheld over suspected high-tech cheating.
“We encountered very unusual cases this year and decided to widen our scope,” Oloyede said.
According to him, the country has enough experts to help tackle the growing trend of technology-driven malpractice.
He noted that fraud in public examinations had shifted from traditional forms to biometric and identity manipulation by candidates and some CBT centres.
The registrar described the situation as dangerous, warning that examination fraud, if unchecked, could destroy institutions and dent Nigeria’s reputation abroad.
“Examination malpractice is something that we must fight with every pinch of blood in our veins,” he added.
Oloyede disclosed that while 141 conventional malpractice cases were already before JAMB’s disciplinary panel, the newly inaugurated team would focus on extraordinary offences.
Such offences, he said, included image blending, false claims of albinism, pairing of fingers, and attempts to breach computer networks.
The committee is expected to determine the culpability of 6,458 candidates whose results are on hold.
Its terms of reference also include recommending sanctions, reviewing existing policies, and proposing a framework to prevent future technology-enabled malpractice.
Oloyede directed the committee to submit its report within three weeks to avoid delays in the 2025 admission exercise.
He argued that candidates found innocent should not suffer unnecessary setbacks.
Committee chairman, Dr. Jake Epele, promised that the team would discharge its duty with fairness and transparency.
“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,” Epele said.
He added that the committee’s work should be seen as a divine call to restore public confidence in examinations.
The membership includes university professors, security agencies, Microsoft Africa, representatives of private schools, and leaders of the National Association of Nigerian Students.