In a significant blow to academic dishonesty, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) have intercepted a sophisticated cyber-syndicate attempting to compromise the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The breach was discovered at the College of Education in Warri, Delta State, following an intelligence-led operation targeting technology-assisted fraud.
Preliminary forensic investigations revealed that the syndicate utilized illegal remote access tools to infiltrate candidates’ computer systems while the examination was actively in progress. This high-tech intrusion was designed to allow external actors to manipulate or provide answers to questions in real-time.
Acting on digital leads, police operatives conducted a coordinated raid resulting in the arrest of four key suspects. The individuals are currently in custody and are providing investigators with information regarding the scope of their network.
The fallout from the investigation has prompted JAMB to take immediate disciplinary action, Results from the affected Warri center, and several other flagged locations, have been officially withdrawn pending the final investigative report, Innocent candidates whose sessions were disrupted by the illicit activity will be rescheduled for a “mop-up” examination and Additional examination centers across the region are now under scrutiny for suspected involvement in similar digital malpractice.
Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Placid, issued a stern warning to those attempting to undermine the national examination system. “The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to identifying, dismantling, and prosecuting criminal networks seeking to undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s educational system. We warn all center operators and collaborators that unauthorized system intrusion is a serious felony.”
The NPF and JAMB have reiterated their stance on maintaining a level playing field for all students, noting that digital forensic capabilities have been significantly bolstered to detect even the most “invisible” forms of electronic cheating.
