UTME 2026: Police Bust Exam Malpractice Syndicate, Arrest Suspects in Delta

The Nigeria Police Force has dismantled an examination malpractice syndicate during the 2026 UTME, arresting suspects in Delta State.

The Force disclosed this in a statement by its spokesperson, DCP Anthony Placid, in Abuja on May 8, 2026.

The operation was carried out with JAMB after intelligence linked the suspects to technology-driven fraud at a CBT centre in Warri, where they allegedly used remote digital tools to compromise the exam.

The arrests come amid tighter scrutiny of CBT centres nationwide, with investigations extending to other suspected locations.

What they are saying

The Nigeria Police Force says the arrested suspects allegedly deployed sophisticated technology to interfere with candidates’ examination systems remotely during the UTME.

• “The Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has uncovered and disrupted a sophisticated examination malpractice syndicate during the conduct of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) at the College of Education, Warri, Delta State.”  

The Force added that the operation was intelligence-led and supported by digital forensic analysis, which helped trace and apprehend those involved in the malpractice network.

Authorities also confirmed that additional CBT centres are currently under investigation, while JAMB has withdrawn results linked to the affected centres pending further review.

Get up to speed

The 2026 UTME, conducted by JAMB, ran from April 16 to April 25, 2026, across more than 1,000 CBT centres nationwide. The examination remains one of the largest tertiary admission assessments in Africa, attracting millions of candidates annually.

• Over 2.2 million candidates registered for the 2026 UTME exercise across Nigeria.
• JAMB released 632,752 results from candidates who sat for the exam on April 16, 2026.
• A total of 1,264,940 additional results were released for candidates who wrote on April 17 and 18, bringing early released results to 1,897,692.
• The Board structured the examination over a 10-day period to accommodate large candidate volumes and improve logistics efficiency.

Earlier in the cycle, JAMB reported strong participation levels within the first phase of result releases, reflecting high turnout and smooth CBT operations across many centres.

More insights

The latest development highlights ongoing concerns around technology-enabled examination fraud within Nigeria’s education assessment system.

• Authorities say perpetrators are increasingly adopting digital tools to bypass CBT security protocols.
• JAMB has confirmed that affected candidates will be rescheduled for a mop-up examination in line with its standard procedures.
• The Board also stated that administrative actions, including result withdrawals, have already been taken against implicated centres.

Security agencies further warned that both CBT operators and external collaborators found culpable will face prosecution as investigations continue across multiple locations.

What you should know

The crackdown comes as JAMB intensifies reforms aimed at protecting the credibility of the UTME and other national examinations. The Board has also recently expanded access to registration infrastructure to ease candidate participation.

• JAMB recently extended the 2026 Direct Entry registration deadline to May 8, 2026.
• Five additional registration centres were approved to improve access for candidates nationwide.
• The expansion was aimed at reducing congestion and improving the registration experience ahead of the 2026 admission cycle.

Authorities have reiterated that examination integrity remains a top priority, with enhanced monitoring across CBT centres.