Over 17,400 Candidates Flagged In Fake Admission Letter Scandal- JAMB
… 3,300 Still Under Probe
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has revealed that 17,417 candidates were flagged as beneficiaries of fake admission letters following the confession from some apprehended syndicates.
According to a statement by JAMB’s spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin on Sunday, the Board has been investigating the matter since a joint press conference with the Nigeria Police Force in April 2024.
“You will recall that a joint press conference between the PPRO of the Nigeria Police Force and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board was convened on 13th April 2024.
“ It was the outcome of the complaint of JAMB that a syndicate had engaged in the fabrication of JAMB-Admission Letters for interested candidates in exchange for a fee, following which a comprehensive investigation was launched,” JAMB said.
The statement disclosed that with the assistance of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), the police successfully apprehended the five ring-leaders behind the scam.
“The five arrested ring-leaders confessed to producing the fake admission letters and are currently being prosecuted at the FHC, Abuja in the case between Inspector General of Police Vs Effa Leonard and four (4) others,” it said.
JAMB disclosed that out of the 17,417 candidates flagged, 6,903 have been cleared after rectifying minor discrepancies.
“Between 2024 and May, 2025 when the Board submitted an update to the Federal Ministry of Education, a total of 6,903 candidates who were asked to rectify their minor discrepancies were cleared leaving behind 10,514 who had been referred to their nearest designated police investigation offices,” it said.
It noted however that among the 10,514 candidates,5,669 candidates were found to have outrightly procured forged letters, while 4,832 candidates attempted to side-step the process of condonement by their institutions under a 2017-2020 ministerial waiver.
The Board has also warned and condoned 1,532 candidates whose institutions had eventually processed their condonement, despite initially attempting to side-step the process.
The statement further said that 13 candidates were flagged for acts of omission or commission, but have been allowed to rectify their anomalies and proceed to print new letters of admission.
According to JAMB, the 13 candidates flagged for acts of omission or commission are affiliated with various institutions, including Bayero University Kano (BUK) and Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), which each have two candidates, while one candidate each is from Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri; Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA); Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti (EKSUB); Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH); Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye; Osun State Polytechnic, Ire; Ben Idahosa University, Benin City; Obong University, Obong Ntak; and University of Ilorin.
JAMB noted that currently, 3,300 candidates remain under investigation for their alleged involvement in the scandal.
It reiterated its commitment to ensuring the integrity of the admission process and warned that any candidate found guilty of examination malpractice would face consequences, including prosecution under the Examination Malpractices Act.
“The Board’s screening processes continue and any candidate found to have employed or solicited assistance from examination and certificate fraudsters or deviated from laid down procedures for registration, examination or admission would continue to face the consequences which include prosecution under the Examination Malpractices Act which prescribes appropriate punishment even for the under-aged and their culpable mentors, guardians or parents,” the statement said.
Over 17,400 Candidates Flagged In Fake Admission Letter Scandal- JAMB is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
