JAMB Cracks Down on AI-Powered UTME Result Manipulation
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has taken decisive action against examination fraud, arresting two candidates and a parent who allegedly falsified 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination results using artificial intelligence tools and electronic methods. The board confirmed that the suspects are currently in custody and will face legal consequences for their actions, which represent a serious breach of examination regulations.
Board Issues Stern Warning Against Result Tampering
JAMB made this disclosure while announcing the release of results for 632,788 candidates who sat for the examination on Thursday, 16 April 2026. The results are already available for viewing through the official SMS platform, with candidates instructed to check their scores by sending UTMERESULT to 55019 or 66019 using the phone number registered during UTME registration.
The board clarified that at this stage, candidates can only view their results, as printing of result slips has not yet been activated. JAMB issued a strong warning against tampering with official SMS notifications, emphasizing that any attempt to alter scores or fabricate results to mislead others, including parents, would be treated as a criminal offence.
"Candidates are strongly cautioned against manipulating the SMS received from the official platform to fabricate or alter scores with the intent to mislead others, including parents. Such actions constitute a serious criminal offence," the board stated in an official announcement.
Ongoing Examination Process and Additional Fraud Cases
JAMB added that the ongoing examination exercise is still in progress and results will continue to be released in batches as marking and processing are completed across centres nationwide. This latest arrest comes amid broader efforts to combat examination fraud within Nigeria's tertiary education admission system.
In a related development, JAMB confirmed the re-arrest of a suspected examination fraudster, Emmanuel Akataka, who was taken back into custody after investigators established that he resumed fraudulent activities shortly after securing bail. According to Channels TV, officials revealed that Akataka previously operated under a false identity, "Official Frederick," while running online platforms that promised candidates illegal score manipulation services.
Briefing journalists in Abuja, the Director of Special Duties, Zainab Hamza, who spoke on behalf of the Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed that Akataka was part of a wider syndicate involved in impersonation, identity theft and online fraud. Investigations showed that the fraud revolved around WhatsApp platforms where false assurances of score inflation were offered to unsuspecting candidates seeking admission.
Previous Convictions and Broader Implications
Hamza revealed that after his release, Akataka reconnected with the same victims using another assumed name, "Sir Frederick," demanding N70,000 from each candidate while claiming he could stop the cancellation of their registrations because he was allegedly "in contact" with the board. The board stated that this claim was completely false and designed to exploit fear among candidates whose details were already compromised.
This case follows a recent Federal High Court ruling in Katsina that sentenced a young man, Ibrahim Abdulaziz, to three years in prison for impersonation during the UTME conducted by JAMB. The court held that the offence struck at the credibility of public examinations and required firm punishment. The conviction followed a trial in which prosecutors established that Abdulaziz posed as another candidate during the examination held in April 2025.
The board's actions demonstrate its commitment to maintaining the integrity of Nigeria's tertiary education admission process and sending a clear message that technological manipulation of examination results will not be tolerated.
