JAMB arrests candidates, parent over alleged AI result

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the arrest of two candidates and a parent over alleged attempts to manipulate the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results.

The board disclosed this development on Friday while officially releasing the results of 632,788 candidates who sat for the examination on Thursday, April 16.

According to JAMB, the suspects were caught using artificial intelligence tools and other electronic methods in an attempt to falsify examination results—an act the board described as a serious breach of examination integrity.

JAMB spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, said in a statement that the suspects were apprehended for manipulating official SMS result notifications to fabricate or alter scores with the intention of deceiving parents, guardians and members of the public.

“Currently, two candidates and one parent are in custody for engaging in result falsification using AI and other electronic means,” the statement said.

Benjamin described the act as a serious criminal offence and warned that the board would ensure all those involved face the full weight of the law.

He also cautioned candidates against tampering with result messages sent through JAMB’s official SMS platforms, 55019 and 66019.

The board advised candidates who sat the examination on Thursday to check their scores by sending UTMERESULT via SMS to 55019 or 66019 using the phone number linked to their registration.