UTME 2025: How students manipulated the JAMB system to commit high-tech malpractices

The Chairman of the JAMB’s Special Committee on Examination Infractions (SCEI) in the just-concluded UTME 2025, Dr. Jake Epelle, has revealed how students orchestrated high-tech malpractices in the UTME 2025. This follows the recent uncovering of 192 AI cheats and 4,251 cases of finger blending during the national examination.

Speaking on Wednesday on the Arise TV Morning Show, Dr. Jake Epelle decried the high rate of the deployment of technology in examination malpractices. He called for an emergency in the Nigerian education sector and demanded a drastic implementation to combat the new wave of fraudulent activities.

“I am troubled. The soul of the education sector is in trouble. And if we don’t rise to the occasion and do something drastic, paraventure, call for emergency in the education sector, we will be in trouble. Most of the children you see today, parading certificates, are carrying fake certificates. Universities are not exempt,” he said.

The Chairman also accused parents of the candidates of being behind 80% of these forms of malpractice, noting that these parents are the culprits sponsoring their children to these manipulators to obtain fake certificates. 

“It is alarming. And the earlier we do something about it. Otherwise, we will find several students who claim they have a certificate, but they don’t know anything. Absolute nothing. Somebody is parading a certificate from a university that he never went to,” he noted.

On Monday, the committee presented a report in which it discovered 192 cases of AI-assisted impersonation through image morphing and the 4,251 incidents of finger blending detected during investigations into UTME 2025. The system also detected 1,878 cases of false disability claims, where candidates used such claims to receive unmerited special treatment.

The committee also covered cases where candidates used forged credentials, multiple National Identification Number (NIN) registrations, and collusion between candidates and examination syndicates in UTME 2025. 

Also Read: JAMB detected 192 AI cheats and 4,251 cases of finger blending in UTME 2025

How students manipulated UTME 2025 through high-tech malpractices

Providing details on how the examination malpractice was carried out before being uncovered by the special committee during UTME 2025, Dr. Jake Epelle noted that the situation was alarming for finger blending and image manipulation.  

For the finger blending, there were two people, consisting of the candidate and the person employed to take the exam for him. Both individuals would get their fingers verified by placing their fingers during the capturing, and the computer will recognise both. 

On getting to the examination hall, both individuals sit side by side, where one pretends to write the exam, and then the person who is hired and paid does the actual exam. According to Dr. Epelle, these exam mercenaries are paid as much as N1 million for this service. 

Revealing the strategy behind image mopping and manipulation, Dr. Epelle explained that CBT centres have codes that allow them to access the computers. The fraudsters, however, would fraudulently mirror the code and place the hired person in another room, who then takes the exams for as many candidates as possible. 

“In that situation, the original candidate will pretend to be writing an exam, moving the mouse while the person who is hired to write the exam is in another room. What we discovered is mind-blowing,” he explained. 

On how CBT centres bypass the CCTV camera, the Chairman revealed that CBT operators use toilet paper to block the camera, which prevents monitoring officers from uncovering their activities.

The Special Committee also handled and uncovered extraordinary cases in UTME 2025, such as image blending, albinism falsification, finger pairing, and attempts to breach the Local Area.

Ways forward and disciplinary actions

Dr. Epelle called for strategic intervention and measures to prevent the repeat of these cases in UTME 2026. He pointed to the case of a culprit who has been involved in these fraudulent practices since 2023. 

In addition, he explained that most of these perpetrators, who are young Nigerians, have millions in their accounts being paid for the malpractice. He called for the enforcement of legal measures to curb the situation.

“This whole thing has become a cartel. It’s becoming a pandemic. And if we don’t hold somebody accountable and throw them in jail as a deterrent, we will see other people doing it,” he said. 

According to him, the committee has submitted recommendations such as banning CBT centres involved, cancellation of all fraudulent results, and imposing bans on candidates ranging from 1 to 3 years. Others are strengthening mobile-first self-service platforms, tighten disability verification and ban bulk school-led registration.

The committee also recommended cultural reorientation, where parents and candidates are made to understand societal ethical standards and practices. This extends to making them realise the future implications of malpractices on students and the country. 

“Prevention is better than cure, they say. And if we don’t put these measures in place, the AIs of this world are ravaging the systems, he noted.