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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has confirmed the arrest of two candidates and a parent for allegedly falsifying their 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results using artificial intelligence and other digital tools.
The arrests were disclosed on Friday as the board released the results of 632,788 candidates who sat for the examination on Thursday, April 16.
JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, said the suspects were apprehended for manipulating official SMS result notifications to fabricate or alter their scores in a bid to mislead parents, guardians and the general public.
According to him, the individuals are currently in custody and undergoing investigation for their involvement in the fraudulent act. He stressed that the use of AI and other electronic means to tamper with examination results constitutes a serious criminal offence.
Benjamin warned that the board would not hesitate to prosecute anyone found culpable, noting that such actions undermine the integrity of the examination system.
He also cautioned candidates against attempting to alter result messages sent through JAMB’s official SMS platforms, stressing that all authentic results can only be accessed through designated channels.
The board advised candidates who participated in the April 16 examination to verify their scores by sending “UTMERESULT” via SMS to 55019 or 66019 using the phone number linked to their registration.
JAMB reiterated its commitment to maintaining transparency and credibility in the conduct of public examinations, urging candidates and parents to avoid fraudulent practices.
