The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has reported that a father and his son have been apprehended by the police for engaging in impersonation during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) currently taking place. The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, revealed this during an inspection of UTME centers in Kaduna. He stated that although the 2024 examination has been well-conducted overall, there have been isolated incidents of impersonation facilitated by individuals possessing multiple National Identity Numbers (NINs).
Prof. Oloyede warned that those who cheated during the exams would be arrested either immediately or at a later time, as JAMB has improved its technology to detect and prevent all forms of examination malpractice. Following the inspection at the Kaduna State University (KASU) CBT Centre, the JAMB Registrar emphasized that cheating yields no benefits due to the advancements in technology.
Impersonation has been a prevalent issue across the country, with cases of individuals possessing multiple NINs, rendering identity verification ineffective. Prof. Oloyede mentioned a specific case where a father impersonated his son and wrote the examination on his behalf. He expressed bewilderment at the father’s actions, questioning the consequences for his son’s future. Both individuals involved in this incident are currently in custody. The specific state where this occurred was not disclosed.
The Registrar affirmed that JAMB is able to apprehend cheaters swiftly due to the availability of advanced facilities that allow them to monitor and detect fraudulent activities. He also stated that appropriate actions would be taken against those left for research purposes after the exams conclude.
Additionally, Prof. Oloyede addressed the issue of candidates who missed the exam due to reasons unrelated to JAMB, stating that the organization cannot allocate significant resources to reschedule a session for a few individuals who were negligent. He clarified that the UTME is not a school-based examination, and JAMB will not be held responsible for failures resulting from candidates who registered through their secondary schools but failed to meet the necessary requirements due to deliberate actions or logistical challenges.
Many of the candidates who missed the UTME were hostel-based students who registered through their schools to satisfy the schools’ monetary demands in the name of JAMB. However, this led to situations where 30 students were crammed into a single bus, causing delays and resulting in some candidates arriving late for the exam. The Registrar dismissed the involvement of schools in these matters and criticized third parties attempting to influence examination arrangements.
Regarding the need for a mega Computer-Based Test (CBT) Centre in Lagos, Prof. Oloyede explained that with 1.94 million candidates sitting for the 2024 UTME, JAMB requires the support of highly populated states like Lagos to establish large-scale CBT centers similar to the one in Kaduna, which can accommodate 4,000 candidates daily. He expressed the Board’s willingness to invest in such centers and requested state governments to provide suitable land.
Efforts to secure a suitable location for a mega CBT Centre in Lagos have been ongoing, but the desired response has not been received from the authorities. The Registrar highlighted the positive impact of the Kaduna center, which was made possible through the provision of land by the Kaduna State Government and the allocation of over N1.4 billion from public funds to build the four CBT centers. These centers can accommodate 1,100 candidates at a time, facilitating exams for 8,000 candidates within two days. Prof. Oloyede expressed optimism that the authorities in Lagos would respond to JAMB’s request and allocate appropriate land for the construction of a mega CBT Centre.