Education: JAMB Re-Arrests Fraudster, Warns Against Score Manipulation
JAMB said the suspect deceived 94 candidates into soliciting for score enhancement by paying for this illegal and non-existent service.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the re-arrest of Emmanuel Akataka, one of the syndicate members, earlier arrested in connection with the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration fraud.
Addressing a news conference in Abuja on Thursday, the Director of Special Duties of the Board, Zainab Hamza, who represented the Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, said Akataka had earlier been arrested for operating under a fictitious identity, “Official Frederick.”
He ran a WhatsApp platform offering fake services such as score inflation.
The Board explained that Akataka, who had previously been apprehended for his role in a network engaged in criminal conspiracy, impersonation, identity theft, online fraud, and other related offences targeted at UTME candidates.
He was also accused of deceiving 94 candidates into soliciting for score enhancement by paying for this illegal and non-existent service.
Explaining further, Hamza disclosed that following his release on bail, Akataka re-established contact with the same candidates he had previously defrauded, adding that this time, he adopted another alias, “Sir Frederick,” and demanded the payment of ₦70,000 from each candidate, falsely claiming that he could prevent the cancellation of their registrations as he was allegedly “in contact” with the Board.
The Board reiterated its commitment to protecting the integrity of its examinations and warned candidates against falling prey to fraudulent schemes.
It also called on the public to remain vigilant, emphasising that there is no legitimate means of securing examination success outside hard work and adherence to due process.
