Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force have arrested at least 20 individuals in connection with the alleged hacking of the 2025 Computer-Based Test (CBT) examinations conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
The arrests reportedly took place in Abuja on Friday. According to security sources, the suspects are believed to be part of a wider syndicate comprising over 100 individuals who specialise in breaching the computer servers of examination bodies such as JAMB and the National Examinations Council (NECO).
It was alleged that the suspects confessed to compromising the CBT system to undermine the credibility of JAMB’s examination processes. Their actions were also reportedly intended to discourage the continued use of computer-based testing by other examination bodies, including the National Examination Council (NECO) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
The syndicate allegedly enabled exceptional candidates to obtain high scores in exchange for payments ranging from ₦700,000 to ₦2 million. It was also reported that several members of the group operate private schools and profit from running so-called special centres.
Meanwhile, the Registrar of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, has dismissed allegations of bias or ethnic favouritism in the release of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting held in Abuja to review the challenges encountered in conducting this year’s UTME, Professor Oloyede reaffirmed the integrity of the examination board’s processes.
