20 arrested in connection with alleged UTME hacking scandal

Security operatives have arrested 20 individuals suspected of orchestrating a large-scale hack of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), raising new concerns about the integrity of Nigeria’s computer-based testing system.

The suspects were apprehended in Abuja by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), according to a report by Channels Television on Friday. They are believed to be members of a broader syndicate involving over 100 individuals, with operations reportedly targeting examination bodies such as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the National Examinations Council (NECO).

Sources within the security agencies said the suspects confessed to deliberately sabotaging the UTME with the intent to discredit JAMB’s computer-based testing (CBT) model and to discourage its adoption in future examinations by NECO and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

Investigations revealed that the group charged students between N700,000 and N2 million in exchange for artificially inflated UTME scores. Their operations were allegedly conducted through private schools and tutorial centres, which served as hubs for the illicit activities.

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Controversy Surrounding the 2025 UTME

This year’s UTME, which began nationwide in April, had already been mired in controversy prior to the revelations. Many candidates voiced frustrations over logistical issues, including being posted to distant testing centres. The release of results on May 9 further fueled discontent, with over 78 percent of candidates scoring below 200 marks out of a possible 400.

Public backlash quickly followed, with students and parents expressing doubts over the examination’s credibility.

In response to growing concerns, JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede addressed the media on May 14, acknowledging technical errors during the initial days of the exam. He disclosed that 379,997 candidates had their results compromised due to faulty server updates in JAMB’s Lagos and South-East operational zones.

These technical faults, he noted, prevented the proper upload of candidates’ responses and contributed to widespread score discrepancies. In an effort to restore trust, JAMB organised a re-sit examination for the affected candidates.

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