2019 UTME: Over 50 ‘Professional Exam Writers’ Arrested – JAMB Says

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disclosed that it has uncovered and arrested over 50 ‘Professional Examination Writers’ who specialized in writing the examination for candidates for a fee.

The board stated in its weekly bulletin that the arrest of over 50 professional examination writers was as a result of the various intelligence gathering mechanism the board had set up. According to the bulletin, these writers connived with some computer-based center owners to perpetuate the crime by engaging in multiple registrations whereby the fingerprints of the actual candidates and their impersonators are captured side by side.

The apprehension of one of the kingpins led to the uncovering of their mode of operation. On interrogation, he confessed to the multiple registrations of his biometrics alongside other several potential candidates preparing to sit for the examination, in exchange for a huge sum of money.

Based on this development, the board made a decision to revalidate all biometrics of candidates that have taken the board’s examination in recent times, with the aim of fishing out, dismantling these registration cartels, and bringing the involved parties to book. 

The board disclosed another startling discovery, which is the fact that a substantial portion of the UTME application documents, was composed of these bogus registrations. These unwholesome applications amounted to over 30 percent of the 1.8 million that registered for the 2019 UTME.

The board has therefore resolved to set machinery in motion to effect the arrest and prosecution of all those involved in the unwholesome act, capable of subverting the sanctity of the entire examination process.