The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has apprehended 27 individuals who attempted to impersonate candidates during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In a statement released in Abuja on Friday, the Board’s spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, confirmed the arrests.
Dr. Benjamin also addressed an incident at Caleb University, where candidates wearing hijabs faced “unauthorised restrictions.” He said the Board swiftly intervened and praised the university’s leadership for resolving the issue without disadvantaging any candidate.
The Vice-Chancellor of Caleb University condemned the actions of an “overzealous security officer” involved in the restriction.
The examination board recently launched decoy websites designed to trap individuals seeking to cheat. These websites, which mimic those operated by fraudsters, were part of a sting operation that exposed at least 180 candidates who paid sums starting from N30,000 for leaked examination questions and fake score upgrades
The Board also said it delisted four Computer-Based Testing (CBT) centres in Abuja.
Candidates who were scheduled to take their examinations at any of the affected centres have been advised to reprint their examination notification slips immediately.
“We regret any inconvenience this may cause, but we will not tolerate excuses from candidates who fail to reprint their slips,” Benjamin warned.
According to Dr Benjamin, the CBT centres were delisted for failing to meet the stringent technical standards required for the UTME exercise.
The delisted centres include:
- Adventure Associate, located behind Sheshe Supermarket off Hadejia Road, Kano, Kano State;
- Saadatu Rimi College of Education, Zaria Road, Naibawa, Kano, Kano State;
- Penta M & F Technical Services Ltd., Centre 2, 96km Sokoto-Jega Road, Tambuwal;
- Penta M & F Technical Services Ltd., Centre 1, 96km Sokoto-Jega Road, Tambuwal.
“While JAMB commends the 883 centres that have demonstrated exceptional performance, it unequivocally warns that any centre failing to meet ethical or technical standards, regardless of ownership, will be blacklisted,” Dr Benjamin stated
He further noted that as of Friday, April 25, 2025, over 900,000 candidates had completed the UTME out of the 2,083,600 registered for the 2025 examination.
What you should know
The 2025 UTME season has seen heightened vigilance from JAMB to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s tertiary admissions process.
With over two million candidates registered, the examination board has intensified its crackdown on malpractice, leading to the arrest of 27 impersonators attempting to write exams on behalf of others.
JAMB’s innovative use of decoy websites, designed to expose candidates seeking leaked questions or score upgrades, highlights a significant shift towards smarter, technology-driven monitoring methods.
At Caleb University, a hijab-related incident prompted swift intervention, reaffirming JAMB’s commitment to protecting the rights of all candidates, regardless of religion or appearance.
Meanwhile, four CBT centres were delisted for failing to meet technical and ethical standards, reinforcing JAMB’s zero-tolerance policy for any compromise that could jeopardize the examination’s credibility.
Candidates previously assigned to these centres have been urged to reprint their slips without delay to avoid missing their exams.
The board also commended 883 CBT centres that demonstrated exceptional performance, encouraging high standards across the board.
Dr. Fabian Benjamin’s updates emphasize JAMB’s dedication to fairness, transparency, and continuous innovation to strengthen Nigeria’s educational assessment systems.
As the examination period continues, vigilance and compliance remain key to maintaining a credible UTME process nationwide.
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM VERILY NEWS
