By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Anambra and Lagos States top the list of the 80 suspected candidates being interrogated by the police for involvement in 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) malpractices, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) data reveals.
Ishaq Oloyede, registrar and chief executive officer at JAMB speaking during a press briefing at the board’s headquarters in Abuja recently, said new methods of examination fraud were observed during the registration and examination processes.
Oloyede disclosed that the new methods include identity and biometric frauds involving combined thumbprints of candidates and impersonators at registration points in connivance with some computer-based test (CBT) centres, double registration, and attempted substitution of self by candidates.
According to the data, Anambra had the highest number, with 14 suspects arrested for 13 cases of impersonation and one picture mismatch.
Lagos State with nine suspects arrested for cases of impersonation, spying, and possession of mobile phones placed second.
Delta State came third with eight arrests for impersonation, followed by Kano State with seven suspects for impersonation and mobile phones possession, and Kaduna with six suspects for impersonation and mobile phone possession.
Others include Rivers State with six suspects arrested for impersonation, possession of mobile phone and calculators, while Ebonyi and Enugu had five suspects for impersonation respectively.
The JAMB registrar said that a blind candidate hired a fellow blind man as an impersonator to sit the 2025 UTME on his behalf. According to him, the blind impersonator is an undergraduate.
The 2025 UTME results were officially released to the public on Friday, May 10. Ahead of the release, the board provided statistics on the performance of the 1.9 million candidates who participated in the examination.
The figures show a staggering outcome as over 1.5 million candidates scored below 200, which is considered the average benchmark.
The UTME, which is scored over a total of 400 marks, tests candidates across four core subjects. While the Use of English is mandatory for all, candidates are allowed to choose three other subjects relevant to their intended course of study.