The Nigerian Police Force in collaboration with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board said it had uncovered and disrupted an examination malpractice syndicate during the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in Delta State.
In a statement issued Friday, Force Public Relations Officer Anthony Placid said the operation followed intelligence-led investigations into efforts to compromise the integrity of the examination through technology-assisted fraud and unauthorized remote access to examination systems.
The incident occurred at the College of Education Warri examination center during the ongoing UTME exercise.
Police said preliminary investigations showed that unauthorized remote access was illegally gained into candidates’ computer systems while the examination was in progress.
According to the statement, police operatives carried out coordinated operations based on credible intelligence and digital forensic leads, resulting in the arrest of three suspects allegedly linked to the syndicate.
The suspects are currently in police custody and are assisting investigators with ongoing inquiries, the statement added.
Authorities also said investigations uncovered the involvement of additional examination centers suspected of engaging in similar illegal activities.
As part of immediate administrative measures, JAMB withdrew results from the affected centers pending the conclusion of investigations.
The board said candidates affected by the incident would not lose the opportunity to sit the examination and would instead be rescheduled for the mop-up examination in line with established procedures.
The police warned candidates, Computer-Based Test center operators and collaborators against engaging in examination malpractice, cyber-assisted fraud or unauthorized system intrusion.
The force also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the credibility of Nigeria’s educational system and vowed to continue tracking and prosecuting criminal networks involved in examination fraud.
