The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has uncovered widespread fingerprint fraud across 19 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), with Anambra and Imo states topping the list of offenders.
The revelations came during the 2025 JAMB Policy Meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday, where the Registrar of the Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, addressed key stakeholders, including vice-chancellors, rectors, and provosts.
According to data presented by Oloyede, Anambra State accounted for six of the implicated centres, followed by Imo with four, while Kano had two. One centre each was also flagged in Abia, Edo, Ebonyi, Delta, Kaduna, Rivers, and Enugu states.
In his presentation, the JAMB boss exposed other sophisticated forms of malpractice, including impersonators using albinos to alter facial recognition systems—a tactic he described as “image-bending”—as well as remote uploading of exam data.
“These acts not only compromise the integrity of our examinations but undermine national confidence in our education system,” Oloyede said.
In a related development, the Nigeria Police Force has arraigned two individuals before the Federal High Court in Katsina for alleged impersonation and examination malpractice during the 2025 UTME.
The prosecutor, Abdussalam Danmaidaki, told the court that Bolanwu Emmanuel and Ibrahim Abdulaziz conspired to cheat during the examination held at Zee Alpha International School, Funtua, on April 30.
Danmaidaki stated that Emmanuel invited Abdulaziz to impersonate him and write the exam using his registration number: 2025515278JA.
“Abdulaziz unlawfully and fraudulently presented himself as a UTME candidate and wrote the exam under the name of Emmanuel,” the prosecutor noted.
The offence, according to the prosecution, contravenes sections 4(2)(a) and (b), 4(3)(c), 3(1)(a) and (b), and 3(2)(c) of the Examination Malpractice Act, Cap E15, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty. The presiding judge, Justice Hussaini Dadan-Garba, adjourned the case to July 18 for trial and witness presentation.
