Twenty suspects are now in the grips of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Police Force in Abuja, following a massive cybercrime bust that uncovered a sinister plot to hijack the 2025 Computer-Based Test (CBT) of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
According to security sources, the suspects are part of a sprawling hacking syndicate, over 100 strong, specialised in breaching the servers of top national examination bodies, including JAMB and the National Examinations Council (NECO).
The group reportedly deployed sophisticated “ghost software” to remotely invade and manipulate JAMB’s secure servers during the examination.
Sources told the Punch that the software, secretly installed on routers near targeted CBT centres, granted real-time access to JAMB’s systems—allowing “special candidates” who had paid between ₦700,000 and ₦2 million to receive live exam answers.
“These hackers mounted special routers close to CBT centres, giving them backdoor access into JAMB’s platforms,” one source revealed.
“They tampered with live exam data, feeding candidates with fake questions and answers while sabotaging the real tests—triggering mass failure.”
Investigations uncovered that several members of the hacking network are owners of private schools and tutorial centres, who operated what they called “special centres” – essentially, pay-to-pass operations for desperate candidates.
“The proceeds from the scam were used to bankroll illegal operations, and some of the fraudsters used the earnings to expand their shady exam rackets,” another source said.
Coordinated sting operations across Lagos, Edo, Anambra, Kano, and Delta states led to the arrests. However, sources confirm that no evidence yet implicates the seven JAMB officials who supervised the compromised CBT centres.
“There’s no indication of JAMB staff involvement at this stage, but the investigation is ongoing,” a senior security source stated.
