Data from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has revealed that Anambra and Lagos States top the list of 80 suspects currently being interrogated by the police in connection with malpractice during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Speaking at a press briefing held at JAMB headquarters in Abuja on Friday, the Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed that the board uncovered new patterns of exam malpractice during both the registration and examination phases.
According to Oloyede, the newly observed fraud methods include:
- Biometric and identity manipulation, such as using combined thumbprints of candidates and impersonators during registration, often in collaboration with some Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres.
- Double registrations by candidates.
- Impersonation attempts, where candidates tried to substitute themselves with others.
Data from JAMB shows Anambra State recorded the highest number of suspects, with 14 individuals apprehended—13 for impersonation and one for a picture mismatch.
Lagos State followed with nine suspects, arrested for impersonation, spying, and possession of mobile phones during the examination.
Other states with significant arrests include:
- Delta – Eight suspects (impersonation).
- Kano – Seven suspects (impersonation and phone possession).
- Kaduna – Six suspects (impersonation and phone possession).
- Rivers – Six suspects (impersonation, and possession of phones and calculators).
- Ebonyi and Enugu – Five suspects each, mainly for impersonation.
In a particularly unusual case, Oloyede revealed that a blind candidate hired another blind undergraduate to sit the 2025 UTME on his behalf.
The board officially released the 2025 UTME results on Friday. Of the 1.9 million candidates who sat for the exam, more than 1.5 million scored below 200 marks—the commonly referenced benchmark on a scale of 400.
The UTME tests candidates in four subjects, with Use of English mandatory, alongside three additional subjects relevant to each candidate’s chosen field of study.
