In a shocking turn of events, a father has been arrested for impersonating his son during the ongoing 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) made the arrest during an inspection tour of Computer Based Test (CBT) centers in Kaduna state on Wednesday, April 24.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, condemned the father’s actions, saying it was “uncalled for” and could potentially destroy his son’s future. “Imagine a father writing an examination for his son! What kind of future are we building for our children?” Oloyede lamented.
Oloyede warned that JAMB has improved its technology to detect and prevent all forms of examination malpractices, including impersonation. “We have deployed advanced biometric technology to verify the identity of candidates, and we will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute anyone who tries to cheat,” he said.
The arrested father and son are currently in police custody, and JAMB has vowed to pursue the case to its logical conclusion. “We will not allow anyone to undermine the integrity of our examination process,” Oloyede emphasized.
In addition to the arrest, Oloyede also addressed issues of multiple National Identity Numbers (NIN) and warned that JAMB will work with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to address the problem. “We have discovered that some candidates have multiple NINs, which is a clear case of identity fraud. We will not tolerate this, and we will work with NIMC to ensure that every candidate has a unique and genuine NIN,” he said.
Overall, JAMB’s zero-tolerance approach to examination malpractices is a welcome development in the fight against cheating and impersonation in Nigeria’s education system. With its advanced technology and determination to prosecute offenders, JAMB is sending a strong message that cheating will not be tolerated in any form.