The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has withheld the results of 6,458 candidates from the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) over alleged involvement in technology-driven examination malpractice.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, announced this on Monday in Abuja while inaugurating a 23-member special committee to investigate the suspected cases. He explained that the new panel would focus on what he described as “technologically sophisticated forms” of cheating, which he said went beyond conventional malpractice.

“This year we came across strange cases. Some candidates and even accredited CBT centres engaged in biometric and identity fraud,” Oloyede said. “We felt it was better to expand our resources and tap into the expertise available in the country. Examination malpractice is something we must fight with every pinch of blood in our veins.”

He disclosed that 141 cases of traditional malpractice had already been referred to JAMB’s disciplinary committee. The newly inaugurated panel, however, will handle advanced fraud methods including image blending, albinism falsification, finger pairing, and attempts to breach Local Area Networks (LANs) in CBT centres.

According to Oloyede, the committee’s mandate covers investigating the cases, identifying technologies deployed, reviewing existing JAMB policies, and recommending sanctions against individuals or groups found culpable. It is also expected to propose preventive frameworks to strengthen the integrity of future examinations.

The registrar said the committee had three weeks to submit its report. “Admission will close in about four weeks. Those who are not guilty should not be denied their opportunity,” he added.

In his response, the committee chairman, Dr. Jake Epele, described the assignment as a duty to protect national integrity. “Examination malpractice is not just a breach of rules; it is a direct assault on integrity, merit, and the future of our nation’s youth. This task is a call from God Almighty to defend the credibility of our examinations and restore public confidence,” he stated.

The 23-member panel comprises academics, security experts, and representatives of key institutions. Members include Prof. Muhammad Bello, Prof. Samuel Odewummi, Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, Prof. Ibe Ifeakandu, retired Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni, Dr. Chuks Okpaka of Microsoft Africa, and the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

Other representatives were drawn from the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force, and the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools.