About 25 persons across the country were on Saturday evening arrested by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)for extortion and illegally selling of registration materials to the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates.
Speaking with journalists in his office in Bwari, Abuja, shortly after the arrests, the JAMB Registrar, Prof Is-haq Oloyede said the people that were caught were those who were on illegal pilgrimage.
He said the culprits were apprehended by a combined team of Anti-corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) of the board, members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigeria Police Force, following a tip-off.
According to the JAMB registrar/chief executive, the e-Brochure and e-Syllabus which were meant to be free were being sold by the culprits as high as N800 each nationwide, while at the same time also exhorting money and inflating cost of registration from candidates.
He said, “Our quality assurance unit, particularly the Anti-corruption and Transparency Unit had to go out to see what is happening, following reports of extortion. We were having reports that candidates are paying more than the N5,500 that is required. The perpetrators have been cautioned and are presently under surveillance. For many of them that have been caught, I don’t think they will want to be caught for the second time in the future after serving the severe punishments awaiting them.
“We keep on telling people that they are to pay just N5,500, which is N5,000 to JAMB and N500 for the book (e-Brochure and e-Syllabus) and that is all. But for the centre where they register, the owner of the centres will get a maximum of N700. We have arrested about 25 persons, all over the country. They are those who are doing what they are not supposed to do, by charging the candidates higher than expected. They will not escape justice, they will appear in court.
According to him, JAMB has not asked anybody to pay extra money or asked anybody to go to any business centre for the creation of profile.
Oloyede said the the banks and Computer-based Test centres have reached an agreement with JAMB, that they would create the profile for the candidates.
“And whether you go to the banks, NIPOST or anywhere to buy the pin, it is part of their responsibility to create the profile for the candidates. Nobody is expected to pay more than what we have specified.
