UTME: JAMB arrests 50 ‘Professional Examination Writers’ | EduCeleb
Agency Report
15th April 2019
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board said it has uncovered and arrested over 50 ‘Professional Examination Writers’ who specialised in writing examination for candidates for a fee.
This is contained in the board’s weekly official bulletin named JAMB Bulletin released on Monday, 15th April, 2019.
Over 1.8 million candidates who registered are expected to sit for the board’s ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination that started nationwide on Thursday, 11th April.
The publication reported that the board said it uncovered a group described as ‘Professional Examination Writers’ as a result of the various intelligence gathering mechanism.
Following that, the board was able to uncover and arrest over 50 of such “fraudulent persons” in centres spread across the country.
It noted that some of the suspects were Master’s Degree holders and undergraduates of tertiary institutions in the country.
According to the bulletin, these professional examination writers connived some Computer Based Centre owners to perpetuate the crime by engaging in multiple registrations whereby the fingerprints of the actual candidates and their impersonators are captured side by side.
“The modus operandi of these UTME syndicates was confirmed when one of the kingpins was apprehended recently.
“On interrogation, he confessed to the multiple registrations of his biometrics alongside other several potential candidates preparing to sit for the examination, in exchange for a huge sum of money.
“This development led to the decision of the board to revalidate all biometrics of candidates that have taken the board’s examination in recent times.
“This timely action will enable the board to not only fish out and dismantle this registration cartels and racketeers but also bring them to book along with their collaborators,” it said.
The bulletin added that another startling discovery by the board was the fact that a substantial portion of the UTME application documents, was composed of the bogus registration.
It noted that the unwholesome application had the singular effect of inflating the total statistical data of candidates’ registration that amounted to over 30 per cent of the 1.8 million that registered for the 2019 UTME.
“The board in a bid to live up to its billings has therefore resolved to set machinery in motion to effect the arrest and prosecution of all those involved in the unwholesome act, capable of subverting the sanctity of the entire examination process,” the bulletin read.
(NAN)