JAMB bursts AI syndicates defrauding UTME candidates
By Uji A. Iliyasu, Abuja
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has uncovered a sophisticated criminal network that allegedly deployed artificial intelligence-generated content to defraud candidates during the ongoing registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), leading to the arrest of several suspects across the country.
Addressing journalists at the Board’s headquarters in Bwari, Abuja, the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, described the discovery as a “grave and disturbing development” that poses a direct threat to the credibility of Nigeria’s education system and the future of millions of honest candidates.
Oloyede said the syndicate operated by impersonating senior government officials, including the Minister of Education and the JAMB Registrar, through the use of AI-generated videos and manipulated images designed to confer legitimacy on their activities.
The fraudsters allegedly used the materials to deceive candidates and their parents into paying for what they claimed were special arrangements and assistance that would guarantee success in the UTME.
Oloyede disclosed that the Board’s discreet and technology-driven investigation traced the illegal operation to multiple locations nationwide, with more than 100 candidates across 25 states already linked to the scheme.
Of this number, 83 candidates were confirmed to have made payments for the illicit services.
He stressed that the Board would not treat those involved as victims, insisting that both the candidates and their parents who knowingly patronised the syndicate must take responsibility for their actions.
“What is important for us to emphasise is that the students themselves and their parents are willing collaborators and they cannot be regarded as innocent,” he said.
The Registrar revealed that JAMB had concluded plans to recommend the cancellation of the UTME registrations of all candidates found to have engaged the services of the fraudsters.
“We have made up our mind that all those who subscribed and paid to be assisted will have their registrations cancelled. Paying for examination fraud is a crime and we will not negotiate with criminals,” he declared.
He warned parents against facilitating malpractice for their children, noting that such actions ultimately undermine the moral foundation of the society and destroy the future they seek to secure.
“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,” Oloyede said.
The investigation also exposed the involvement of some tutorial centres and school proprietors who allegedly coordinated logistics for the operation. In some cases, candidates were reportedly transported across state lines and lodged in hotels where arrangements for malpractice were perfected.
Despite the increasing sophistication of the fraudulent tactics, the JAMB Registrar expressed confidence in the Board’s capacity to stay ahead through continuous technological innovation and collaboration with security agencies.
“We are ahead of them. The only problem we have is public opinion,” he stated, while calling on the media and other stakeholders to support the fight against examination malpractice.
Oloyede also used the opportunity to dismiss as false and politically motivated the recent claims that JAMB had increased the cost of UTME registration.
He maintained that the approved fees remain unchanged and urged the public to report any individual or Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre found to be charging above the stipulated rates. He added that some erring CBT centres had already been sanctioned.
The Registrar emphasised that the fraudulent activities were not peculiar to any particular part of the country, noting that those involved were evenly spread across different regions.
“This shows clearly that examination malpractice is a national problem that requires a collective response,” he said.
He further warned that ignorance would no longer be accepted as an excuse for engaging in illegal examination practices, reiterating the Board’s zero-tolerance stance.
Oloyede appealed to candidates to rely on hardwork and preparation rather than shortcuts, assuring that JAMB would continue to deploy advanced technology to ensure that the UTME remains credible and merit-driven.
The crackdown, he said, is part of the Board’s sustained efforts over the years to protect the integrity of its examinations through heavy financial, technological and institutional investments.
“These efforts are not optional; they are necessary to protect millions of honest candidates whose only crime is believing that hardwork still matters,” he added.
With the arrests already made and further investigations ongoing, the Board reaffirmed its resolve to expose and prosecute all those involved in the illegal operation, signalling a tough time ahead for examination fraudsters and their collaborators.