The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) conducted a nationwide mop-up Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) on Saturday, witnessing an unexpectedly low turnout. Out of the 98,232 eligible candidates, only about 12% appeared for the examination. This stark contrast to previous years, where mop-up exams typically catered to a few thousand candidates with legitimate reasons for missing the main UTME, such as illness or verifiable technical issues, raised concerns. JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, attributed the low turnout to the Board’s intensified security measures aimed at curbing impersonation and examination malpractice, suggesting that many of the absentees were likely involved in fraudulent activities.
The unusually high number of candidates eligible for the mop-up exam stemmed from reported widespread absences during the main UTME. JAMB, in consultation with stakeholders, decided to offer a second chance to all absent candidates, while simultaneously leveraging intelligence gathered from security agencies like the State Security Service (SSS) and the police to identify and apprehend impersonators. Professor Oloyede explained that this strategy was designed to expose the syndicates behind examination malpractice, particularly tutorial centers and private school proprietors who facilitate impersonation and other forms of cheating. The low turnout, he argued, validated their suspicions, indicating that many of the registered candidates were indeed part of these syndicates and chose to avoid the exam due to the heightened security measures.
The JAMB Registrar further revealed the sophisticated tactics employed by these syndicates, including exploiting facial recognition technology vulnerabilities. A significant increase in the number of candidates claiming to be albino raised red flags. Oloyede highlighted that while JAMB typically registers less than 100 albino candidates annually, this year saw a staggering 1,787 such declarations. Investigations revealed that a single center registered 450 of these supposed albinos, a clear indication of orchestrated fraud. The syndicates were reportedly exploiting the reddish tint often associated with albinism to manipulate facial recognition software by blending pictures of candidates with those of albinos, thereby creating composite images that could bypass the system.
The investigation further unearthed a case involving a non-albino individual arrested in Benin who had falsely declared himself as albino, illustrating the lengths to which these syndicates would go to circumvent security measures. Professor Oloyede emphasized that the use of picture blending and false albino declarations were part of a larger strategy to facilitate impersonation. He reassured the public that the Board, in collaboration with security agencies, is actively pursuing those involved in these fraudulent activities. The registered candidates who failed to appear for the mop-up exam, despite claiming to have missed the main UTME, will be held accountable. Their registered names, schools, National Identification Numbers (NINs), and phone numbers provide sufficient information for the security agencies to track them down, and arrests are already being made.
Beyond impersonation, JAMB is also tackling the issue of forged certificates in Direct Entry (DE) admissions. Professor Oloyede disclosed that 14 candidates have been caught presenting forged certificates this year. He expressed concern over the complicity of some educational institutions in this fraudulent activity, citing a recent discovery where around 20 to 30 students who hadn’t completed the National Certificate in Education (NCE) program were being awarded NCE certificates to qualify for DE admission. One case involved a student who completed secondary school in 2021 but was purportedly admitted to an NCE program in 2020, with a projected graduation date of 2023. This fraudulent backdating was linked to a condonement policy granted by the former Minister of Education between 2017 and 2020, which aimed to regularize the admission of a large number of illegally admitted students.
This condonement, intended to address a backlog of nearly one million students, inadvertently created an avenue for further fraud. When these students were asked to submit their certificates for clearance, many were unable to provide them. Some even presented results in subjects like chemistry and biology obtained after graduating as medical doctors, highlighting the blatant disregard for academic integrity. This loophole is now being exploited by institutions issuing fabricated certificates retroactively to cover up illegal admissions made after 2020. Professor Oloyede asserted that JAMB is committed to eradicating these fraudulent practices and holding both the individuals and institutions involved accountable. He also indicated that the mop-up exam results, while ready on Saturday, might be delayed until Monday for further scrutiny and to ensure the removal of any suspected fraudulent entries. Additionally, parents found to be financing examination malpractice schemes for their children will also be subject to investigation and potential prosecution.
