UTME mop-up results out as JAMB exposes 17,000 students caught in fake admission scandal

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the results of its mop-up Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted on June 28.

It also provided updates on its sweeping crackdown against a major syndicate issuing fake admission letters.

In a statement on Sunday, JAMB’s Head of Public Affairs and Protocol, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, confirmed that results have been released for 11,161 candidates who sat for the mop-up examination, out of the 96,838 candidates originally scheduled.

Benjamin advised candidates to check their results by sending “UTMERESULT” (as one word) to 55019 or 66019, using the same phone number used during registration.

He noted that failure to comply with this procedure is the main reason some candidates have been unable to access their results.

In a significant development, JAMB also announced progress in its investigation of a syndicate involved in the forgery of admission letters for a fee.

Working in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), the Board revealed that five ringleaders have been arrested and are currently facing trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja in the case titled Inspector General of Police vs Effa Leonard and Four Others.

According to Benjamin, the syndicate’s operations implicated a staggering 17,417 candidates: 6,903 of these candidates have been cleared after resolving minor discrepancies; 10,514 were referred to police investigation offices across the country; 5,669 were confirmed to have procured outright fake admission letters and 4,832 attempted to bypass the Board’s formal condonement process, usually reserved for 2017–2020 ministerial waivers, through fraudulent means.

An additional 13 candidates were flagged for various irregularities, many dating back to 2017 when the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) was introduced.

The affected candidates span institutions such as Bayero University Kano, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology Akure, Yaba College of Technology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, University of Ilorin, and several others.

Following a management meeting on July 5, JAMB resolved to allow the 13 newly flagged candidates to correct their records and reprint valid admission letters. They will be added to the 6,903 previously cleared.

Furthermore, 1,532 candidates who claimed ignorance of the syndicate’s involvement and whose institutions had since processed their condonement through the appropriate channels will receive formal warnings but will be pardoned.

However, 3,300 candidates remain under active investigation for allegedly securing admissions through illegitimate or unprocessed means. These candidates could face severe penalties if found culpable.

Benjamin warned that the Board’s vetting mechanisms will remain stringent.

He stressed that any candidate found to have engaged in or sought assistance from exam fraud syndicates will be prosecuted under the Examination Malpractices Act, a law that also holds parents or guardians accountable when minors are involved.

“The Board remains committed to upholding the integrity of the admission process and ensuring that only duly qualified candidates gain access to tertiary education in Nigeria,” Benjamin stated.