JAMB uncovers AI-powered exam fraud syndicate

…moves to cancel 100 UTME registrations

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has uncovered a sophisticated examination fraud syndicate deploying artificial intelligence to impersonate senior government officials and defraud unsuspecting Nigerians, prompting moves to cancel the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registrations of over 100 affected candidates.

Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, made this known on Saturday while briefing newsmen in Abuja, describing the development as a grave threat to fairness, merit and integrity in Nigeria’s education system.

According to him, investigations revealed that members of the criminal network deployed artificial intelligence tools to create fake images and identities, impersonating the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, as well as the JAMB Registrar, to convince candidates and parents to pay for illegal examination assistance.

Oloyede explained that suspects arrested in connection with the fraud confessed to producing AI-generated materials, forged JAMB identification cards and fabricated online endorsements to give the impression that the scheme had official backing.

“We have seen individuals using artificial intelligence to create fake personalities, claiming to be JAMB officials and even posing with the Minister of Education and the Registrar to collect money from candidates,” he said.

He clarified that those involved were not staff or authorised agents of JAMB but criminal elements operating through tutorial and remedial centres across the country.

The Registrar disclosed that more than 100 UTME candidates subscribed to the illegal services, with at least 83 already confirmed to have made payments to the syndicate.

He said the Board had resolved to recommend the cancellation of all registrations linked to the fraud, stressing that candidates and parents who knowingly paid for examination malpractice could not be treated as innocent victims.

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“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,” Oloyede stated.

He added that the cases were recorded across 25 states of the federation, showing that examination malpractice was widespread and not limited to any particular region.

Oloyede revealed that many of the fraudsters operated from unapproved tutorial centres located in markets and unfinished buildings where candidates were promised examination “special packages” and guaranteed success.

He disclosed that some school proprietors allegedly facilitated the movement of candidates from one state to another to perpetrate malpractice, while a number of Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres implicated in the scheme had been suspended.

The Registrar also dismissed claims circulating in some quarters that JAMB had increased UTME registration fees, describing such reports as false and misleading. He urged members of the public to report any centre charging above the approved fees.

Oloyede expressed concern that many parents were actively financing examination fraud for their children, warning that such actions undermine moral values and endanger the future of young Nigerians.

“Parents must understand that paying for fraud does not secure a child’s future — it destroys it. You are teaching them that cheating is acceptable and that merit is optional,” he warned.

He stressed that candidates who share their registration details with third parties for illicit assistance risk disqualification, regardless of whether the arrangement was initiated by parents or guardians.

The Registrar also raised alarm over the growing number of underage candidates implicated in malpractice, attributing the trend partly to parental pressure and misplaced confidence.

Oloyede commended the collaboration of security agencies, including the Department of State Services, Nigerian Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, for assisting in dismantling the syndicate.

He assured Nigerians that JAMB would continue deploying advanced technological systems to detect emerging digital fraud tactics, insisting that the Board would not negotiate or compromise with criminal operators.

“We cannot negotiate with criminals. Anyone advertising expo or special examination packages is a fraudster, and those who patronise them will face the consequences,” he said.

Oloyede reaffirmed JAMB’s commitment to protecting millions of honest candidates who rely on hard work and merit to gain admission into tertiary institutions across the country.

The Registrar further rejected claims that JAMB had increased registration fees, saying such assertions as false and politically motivated.

He urged the public to report any centre charging above approved rates, noting that some computer-based test centres had already been suspended for infractions.

The Registrar also expressed concern over the high number of underage candidates implicated in the scheme, noting that parental pressure and misplaced confidence often drove early examination attempts.

He said JAMB would intensify collaboration with the National Orientation Agency and security agencies to address the moral and social dimensions of the problem.