The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has launched a probe into a syndicate allegedly using artificial intelligence to interfere with the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration process.
As part of the investigation, several members of the syndicate have been taken into custody while authorities work to uncover the full extent of their activities and identify collaborators across the country.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, JAMB registrar Ishaq Oloyede said many of the candidates who used the syndicate’s services were underage, with some pushed beyond their academic capacity by their parents.
According to Oloyede, about 38,000 underage candidates registered for the 2026 UTME, while roughly 100 were found to have received assistance from the syndicate during registration.
He stated that JAMB has recommended the cancellation of affected candidates’ registrations to the minister of education, Tunji Alausa.
The registrar also revealed that three senior JAMB officials have been recommended for dismissal after allegedly collaborating with the syndicate.
According to the him, two other officials and a staff member of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, are currently facing criminal prosecution over activities that undermine the examination body.
“Parents and their children are willing collaborators and cannot be said to be innocent,” Oloyede said.
The incident reportedly spans at least 25 states, with three school proprietors already in custody for allegedly aiding examination malpractice.
Oloyede commended security agencies for their cooperation, adding that JAMB has the capability to tackle attempts to compromise the system.
“We are ahead of them. The only problem we have is public opinion,” he said.
