The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it has arrested two candidates and a parent for allegedly falsifying Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scores using artificial intelligence tools.
JAMB disclosed the development while releasing results of candidates who sat for the 2026 UTME, noting that the suspects were involved in manipulating official result notifications.
In a statement, JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, said the suspects altered SMS messages used to convey examination results in a bid to deceive the public.
“Currently, two candidates and one parent are in custody for engaging in result falsification using AI and other electronic means,” Benjamin said.
He explained that the fraud involved tampering with official messages to fabricate higher scores, adding that the act was designed to mislead parents and guardians.
The board warned that such practices are criminal and would be met with strict sanctions, stressing that it is working with security agencies to curb the growing trend of technology-driven examination fraud.
The arrests come amid broader concerns by JAMB about the use of digital tools by syndicates to exploit candidates.
Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, had earlier warned that both candidates and parents involved in such schemes would face consequences.
“Students themselves and their parents are willing collaborators and cannot be regarded as innocent,” Oloyede said in a separate briefing on examination malpractice.
He added, “Paying for examination fraud does not secure a child’s future.
"It destroys it.”
JAMB urged candidates and parents to avoid shortcuts and rely on hard work, reiterating its commitment to maintaining the integrity of Nigeria’s examination system.
