Anambra, Lagos Top List in UTME Malpractice Cases, Says JAMB

Data from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has revealed that Anambra and Lagos states recorded the highest number of candidates involved in malpractice during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). According to the JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, 80 suspects are currently under police interrogation across the country, with new and sophisticated methods of cheating uncovered during registration and examination processes.

Speaking at a press briefing on Friday at JAMB’s headquarters in Abuja, Oloyede said biometric and identity fraud were rampant. He explained that some candidates had registered using combined thumbprints with impersonators, often facilitated by compromised CBT (Computer-Based Test) centres. Other methods identified include double registrations and attempts by candidates to substitute themselves during the exams.

Anambra state leads the chart with 14 suspects involved in 13 impersonation cases and one case of a picture mismatch. Lagos state followed closely with nine suspects arrested for offences ranging from impersonation and spying to illegal possession of mobile phones during the examination.

Further breakdown shows Delta with eight impersonation-related arrests, Kano with seven suspects involved in impersonation and mobile phone possession, and Kaduna with six suspects facing similar charges. In Rivers State, six individuals were apprehended for impersonation and possessing phones and calculators. Ebonyi and Enugu recorded five suspects each, all tied to impersonation.

In a particularly striking case, Oloyede disclosed that a blind candidate employed another visually impaired individual, an undergraduate, to take the exam on his behalf. The unusual impersonation attempt highlights the lengths some candidates go to evade the standard examination process.

The 2025 UTME results were released on Friday, with over 1.9 million candidates having taken part. Preliminary performance statistics are sobering: more than 1.5 million candidates scored below 200 out of a possible 400, the average benchmark for admission consideration. Each candidate is tested on four subjects, including the compulsory Use of English, with the other three subjects selected based on their chosen field of study.