The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is grappling with a new wave of technologically advanced examination fraud, as its Special Committee on Examination Infractions (SCEIi) has exposed widespread malpractice, including 190 cases of AI-assisted cheating in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The committee, which was inaugurated on August 18, presented its findings to JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, revealing how sophisticated technology is being used to undermine the integrity of the nation’s admission process.

According to the Chairman of the committee, Dr Jake Epelle, the JAMB investigation uncovered 192 instances of AI-assisted impersonation through image morphing and a staggering 4,251 cases of “finger blending.”

Epelle described the current state of malpractice as “highly organised, technology-driven, and dangerously normalised.”

He expressed concern that parents, tutorial centers, schools, and even some Computer-Based Test (CBT) operators are complicit in the fraud, while weak legal frameworks make prosecution difficult.

Beyond these high-tech scams, the committee also documented 1,878 false disability claims, the use of forged credentials, multiple National Identification Number (NIN) registrations, and collusion between candidates and examination syndicates.

To combat this rising menace, the committee has urged JAMB to adopt a multi-pronged approach. Its recommendations include deploying AI-powered biometric anomaly tools, implementing real-time monitoring of all examinations, and establishing a central Examination Security Operations Centre to coordinate efforts and respond to threats. (Nigerian Tribune)

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