The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has uncovered a breach in the university admissions process across Nigeria.
According to a policy document obtained in Abuja, the board has discovered that 21 candidates with fraudulent Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB) results were recommended for admission during the 2023 academic session.
Among these, 12 candidates were recommended for admission by Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
According to a policy document obtained in Abuja, JAMB revealed that the fraudulent recommendations were a result of inadequate certificate screening procedures at the institutions involved.
The board stated that it is important to ensure that all certificates are properly authenticated, bearing the signature of the institution’s head—whether the Vice-Chancellor, Provost, or Rector.
The investigation implicated five institutions in total, with ABU Zaria being the most prominent offender.
In light of these findings, JAMB has reaffirmed its commitment to upholding educational standards in Nigeria and preventing the erosion of integrity in the admission process.
“These proactive measures, along with others in development, aim to preserve the gains made in the education sector, particularly within the examination sub-sector, and to protect against unscrupulous practices,” JAMB stated.
Meanwhile, News About Nigeria reported that the Federal Government recently recognised only eight universities in Togo and Benin Republic as accredited institutions authorised to award degrees to Nigerians.
Minister of Education Tahir Mamman disclosed that over 22,500 Nigerians had obtained fake degrees from unaccredited institutions in these countries.
He warned that the government would invalidate 22,700 certificates, and those involved would face serious consequences.
“This decision is not harsh; it is necessary to protect the integrity of our education system,” Mamman said.
He further noted that many of these fraudulent certificates were acquired by people who never left Nigeria, through racketeering schemes involving corrupt officials both within and outside the country.
“The fake universities capitalised on the gullibility of Nigerians,” Mamman added.
