JAMB re-arrests alleged exam fraudster, warns candidates against score manipulation scams
From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has re-arrested Emmanuel Praise Akataka, an alleged examination fraudster, as it cautioned candidates and the public against illegal schemes
From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has re-arrested Emmanuel Praise Akataka, an alleged examination fraudster, as it cautioned candidates and the public against illegal schemes promising score manipulation.
JAMB Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, described Akataka as a key member of a syndicate involved in criminal conspiracy, impersonation, identity theft, and online fraud targeting candidates of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Speaking through the Board’s Director of Special Duties, Zainab Hamza, Oloyede disclosed that the suspect was initially arrested for operating under a fictitious identity, “Official Frederick,” where he managed a WhatsApp platform offering fraudulent services, including score inflation.
According to JAMB, the suspect deceived at least 94 candidates into paying for non-existent score enhancement services. Despite being granted bail, he allegedly resumed the scheme under another alias, “Sir Frederick,” demanding ₦70,000 from candidates with false assurances of preventing the cancellation of their registrations.
Akataka reportedly confessed to earning about ₦1.5 million from the fraudulent operation, admitting that all the services offered were fake.
The examination body reiterated its warning to candidates to avoid engaging with individuals or platforms promising to manipulate examination scores, stressing that such claims are fraudulent and punishable under the law.
“I was just trying every means possible to be able to meet up,” he told journalists.
Oloyede said that investigations also revealed that the suspect used multiple bank accounts, including one belonging to his late father and another opened under a false identity, to collect payments.
Oloyede said, “Following his release on bail, Mr. Akataka re-established contact with the same candidates he had previously defrauded, falsely claiming that he could prevent the cancellation of their registrations as he was allegedly ‘in contact’ with the Board.
“It is deeply concerning that the same candidates involved in the initial infraction have again fallen victim. This troubling pattern raises serious concerns about the growing willingness among some candidates to pursue unlawful advantage.”
Oloyede emphasized that no individual or group could influence UTME results, warning that “any claim of score enhancement or examination assistance is fraudulent.”
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He also disclosed that since 2025, JAMB has secured convictions against more than six offenders, including Ibrahim Abdulaziz, sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for impersonation.
“The integrity of the nation’s examination system remains non-negotiable, and the Board will not relent in safeguarding it,” Oloyede said, urging candidates and parents to avoid engaging with fraudsters to prevent legal consequences and financial loss.
Fielding questions from journalists, Akataka admitted to his crimes and appealed for leniency, attributing his actions to financial hardship and family pressure.
“I was finding it difficult to survive; that was the actual reason I opened a group,” he said, adding that he returned to the illegal activity after being granted bail to support his ailing mother.
“The reason why I went back to it was that my mom was actually suffering from a very, very severe disease. I was finding a means to assist her with her hospital fees,” he explained.
