JAMB Panel Uncovers Over 4,000 Cases of Fingerprint Tampering, 190 AI-Driven Cheats in 2025 UTME

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has received a damning report from its Special Committee on Examination Infractions (SCEIi), revealing widespread use of advanced technology to undermine the integrity of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Presenting the findings in Abuja, the committee’s chairman, Jake Epelle, disclosed that investigators uncovered 4,251 cases of fingerprint manipulation—commonly referred to as “finger blending”—as well as 192 instances of artificial intelligence-assisted impersonation through image morphing.

The report, submitted to JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, also flagged 1,878 fraudulent disability claims, instances of forged credentials, multiple National Identification Number (NIN) registrations, and collusion involving examination syndicates.

The panel, inaugurated on August 18, was mandated to investigate the growing sophistication of exam malpractice, assess JAMB’s existing systems, and recommend reforms to protect the examination process.

Epelle described the situation as alarming, warning that examination fraud in Nigeria has become “highly organised, technology-driven, and dangerously normalised.” He noted that the malpractice ecosystem includes parents, tutorial centres, schools, and even some operators of Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres. He further highlighted the challenge of enforcement due to weak legal frameworks.

To address these issues, the committee recommended that JAMB adopt a comprehensive strategy, including the deployment of AI-powered biometric verification tools, real-time monitoring mechanisms, and the establishment of a centralised Examination Security Operations Centre.