Abuja: The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has recommended stringent penalties for 11 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres found culpable of infractions during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made this disclosure during a stakeholder meeting on examination infractions held in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, penalties were also suggested for CBT Registrants implicated in fingerprint irregularities during the UTME registration. Oloyede stated that the penalties, pending the approval of the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, aim to uphold the integrity of the examination process. He emphasized that registrants who oversaw the registration of more than 50 candidates with infractions should be barred from participating in future activities of the Board. This includes a prohibition on participating in UTME exercises, registering for UTME as students, and involvement in sister examinations such as WAEC, NECO, or NABTEB for a period of three years. After this suspension period, the Board may reconsider if the registrant has shown remorse.
For those who registered fewer than 50 candidates, they will receive warnings and must write letters of apology to the Board, accompanied by a bond indicating their commitment to avoiding future infractions. Additionally, all implicated CBT centres are required to sign a bond and provide evidence of training for their registrants, conducted by federal universities in their vicinity.
Oloyede stressed that the Board would not tolerate any future infractions from the affected centres, regardless of claims of ignorance. He stated that these centres must undergo necessary training in federal universities closest to them before re-engagement by JAMB. Furthermore, centres owned by the Federal Government will have reports of their infractions submitted to their respective authorities.
Earlier, several affected registrants and CBT operators admitted to engaging in candidate fingerprint contributions during the registration process, attributing their actions to ignorance. They expressed a need to increase registrations at their centres and pleaded for leniency. Former Lagos Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, commented that such actions warrant prosecution and urged JAMB to secure undertakings from the culprits to prevent future infractions.
Bashir Gumel, an official from Jicoras CBT Centre in Jigawa State, revealed that an internal probe into the involvement of its registrants was underway, with findings to be reported to JAMB. Gumel assured that those responsible would face consequences and that the actions taken would be communicated to the JAMB office.
NAN reports that the implicated CBT centres include Misau Emirate ICT Centre, Bauchi State; Ijaw National Academy, Bayelsa State; Directorate of ICT Nigerian Army University, Gombe State; Emerald IT Academy Limited, Edo State; Tigh Technologies, Abuja; Jicoras CBT Centre, Jigawa State; Huntsville Technology Limited, Lagos State; Jolas College CBT Centre, Lagos; Abdul Ocean Weath CBT Centre, Oyo State; National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Plateau State; and the Consulate Salle D’Examen CBT Centre, Rivers State.