The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has identified Anambra and Lagos as the states with the highest number of suspects involved in malpractice during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
At a press conference held on Friday at JAMB’s headquarters in Abuja, the Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, revealed that a total of 80 suspects were being investigated by the police over various forms of exam fraud.
According to him, new and increasingly sophisticated methods of cheating were detected during both the registration and examination phases.
He said, “The new methods include identity and biometric frauds involving combined thumbprints of candidates and impersonators at registration points in connivance with some CBT centres, double registration, and attempted substitution of self by candidates.”
Based on data released, Anambra State recorded the highest number of arrests — 14 suspects — involving 13 impersonation cases and one instance of picture mismatch.
Lagos State followed with nine suspects, arrested for impersonation, spying, and possession of mobile phones. Other states with multiple arrests include Delta (eight for impersonation), Kano (seven for impersonation and phone possession), and Kaduna (six for impersonation and possession of phones).
Rivers State recorded six arrests for impersonation and the illegal possession of phones and calculators. Ebonyi and Enugu each had five cases of impersonation-related arrests.
In one particularly unusual incident, Oloyede disclosed that, “a blind candidate hired a fellow blind man as an impersonator to sit the 2025 UTME on his behalf.” He added that the impersonator is already an undergraduate.
JAMB officially released the 2025 UTME results on Friday. Ahead of this release, the examination body provided insight into candidates’ performances.
Of the 1.9 million candidates who sat for the exam, more than 1.5 million scored below 200 out of a possible 400 — far below the average benchmark.
The UTME assesses candidates across four core subjects, with Use of English being compulsory. The remaining three are chosen based on the candidate’s intended field of study.
