The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, on Saturday declared that candidates and parents involved in examination fraud would face severe consequences, insisting that the Board would no longer tolerate what he described as a “grave and disturbing development” threatening the integrity of the country’s education system.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, Oloyede said the Board convened the press briefing to confront activities that “strike at the heart of fairness, merit and integrity in the Nigerian educational system.”

“Over the years, the Board has invested heavily — financially, technologically and institutionally — to safeguard the credibility of UTME.

“These efforts are not optional. They are necessary to protect millions of honest candidates whose only crime is believing that hard work still matters.”

The registrar disclosed that recent investigations uncovered criminal syndicates using artificial intelligence to impersonate JAMB officials and defraud candidates.

Oloyede, however, stressed that candidates and their parents were complicit in the matter.

“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.

“All those who subscribed, who paid to be assisted — we are making appropriate recommendations to the authorities, particularly to the Minister of Education, so that we can cancel all the registrations,” the registrar disclosed.

According to him, more than 100 candidates were implicated, with 83 confirmed to have made payments, cutting across 25 states.

“This is to show you that it is not peculiar to a particular part of the country. It is evenly distributed,” he said.

He dismissed claims that the Board had increased registration fees.

“Some even said we increased our fee, which is not true. Totally untrue.

“If you find anybody charging beyond what was charged last year, let that person report to the Board. We have not increased the fee,” the registrar warned.

He added that some CBT centres had already been sanctioned. “Two or three of them, we have brought them this morning, and we have suspended their participation.”

Rejecting suggestions that JAMB should negotiate with offenders, Oloyede asked: “How do you monitor this type of thing? How do you negotiate with criminals? It Is like saying we should continue to use fake drugs because there are no genuine drugs.”

He revealed that some suspects who fled the country after last year’s examination had begun seeking negotiations.

“They should come through the normal process. We will refer them to the security agencies, and if they clear them, that is their problem.

“Why should we now go and be negotiating with criminals?” the registrar questioned.

He warned that paying for examination fraud would attract strict penalties.

“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,” the registrar advised.

He directed a message to parents and guardians.

“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.

Oloyede disclosed that some school proprietors were among those arrested.

Responding to concerns about JAMB’s capacity to counter increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes, Oloyede expressed confidence in the Board’s systems and partnerships with security agencies.

“I want to thank the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Directorate of State Services, the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for their cooperation.

“We are trying our best to make sure that whatever it is, we give support to the security agencies where required to get to the root of the matter.

“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,” the registrar added.

He revealed that JAMB had strengthened its technical systems, including the ability to detect prohibited devices during examinations.

“We have the system that will also give us a signal when somebody has a device that is inimical to the conduct of our examination. We are ahead of them. The only problem we have is public opinion,” he said.

Oloyede also raised concerns about underage candidates allegedly involved in fraud.

“Look at the high number of underage candidates. A large number of them are now involved in soliciting assistance and paying — their parents paying for these services,” he said.

He maintained that JAMB’s mandate was limited to conducting examinations, not moral instruction

He concluded with an appeal to the media. “We are appealing to the press to please assist us in making sure that they appeal to parents. Let us go with the right method of doing things. Do not let parents introduce their children to crime.”

The 2026 UTME registration process began on January 26 and closed at accredited centres on February 28, while the general registration window closed on February 26.

As of February 17, more than 1.5 million candidates had registered for the examination. (Saturday PUNCH)

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