By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Special Committee on Examination Infractions (SCEI) has uncovered 6,458 suspected cases of malpractice threatening the credibility of Nigeria’s admission system. Submitting its report in Abuja on Monday, the committee detailed 4,251 cases of biometric manipulation (“finger blending”), 190 cases of AI-assisted image morphing, and 1,878 false claims of albinism.
It also flagged multiple NIN registrations, credential forgery, and collusion involving CBT centres, schools, parents, tutorial operators, and technical accomplices. The committee, chaired by Dr. Jake Epelle, and described malpractice as a highly organized and culturally entrenched enterprise that poses a direct threat to meritocracy and the credibility of the education sector.
Receiving the report, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, stressed that examination malpractice undermines ethical standards, produces incompetent professionals, erodes national development, and diminishes the value of genuine qualifications.
He reaffirmed JAMB’s commitment to enforcing sanctions, investing in technology-driven safeguards, and promoting moral education to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s education system. Among its recommendations were the deployment of AI-powered biometric verification, dual authentication systems, real-time monitoring, and the establishment of a National Examination Security Operations Centre.
