Two candidates and a parent have been arrested over allegations that they falsified scores from the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) using artificial intelligence tools and other electronic means, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has confirmed.

News of the arrests emerged alongside the release of results for 632,788 candidates who sat the examination session held on April 16, 2026.

The examination body has tightened its monitoring mechanisms in order to detect digital interference with official records, Ejes Gist News reports.

Allegations Centre on Doctored Result Notifications

In a statement issued by JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, the board said the suspects were taken into custody for tampering with the SMS messages through which it communicates results to candidates.

Those held are alleged to have deployed AI-based methods and other digital instruments to alter or manufacture UTME scores, with the aim of deceiving parents, guardians and other stakeholders.

The statement noted that:

  • Two candidates and a parent are in custody
  • Official result messages were allegedly interfered with
  • Scores were allegedly altered with AI assistance

Benjamin described the conduct as serious, calling it a breach of examination integrity and a criminal act punishable under Nigerian law.

Candidates Warned Over Forged Messages

The board stressed that candidates should rely only on its approved result-checking channels, identifying its official SMS platforms as:

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To obtain authentic scores, candidates must send “UTMERESULT” by SMS from the telephone number tied to their registration.

JAMB warned that altering or forging such messages amounts to fraud and carries legal consequences, adding that offenders would face the full weight of the law.

Results Rolled Out in Phases

Results are being issued in batches as the board completes marking and verification, according to the statement, which noted that:

  • 632,788 results have been released so far
  • More results will follow in later batches
  • Printing of result slips has not yet begun

Candidates will be told when the platform for printing their official result slips opens.

Examination Window and Surveillance

The 2026 UTME began on April 16 and is due to end on April 22, 2026, at accredited centres across the country. JAMB said it had put in place upgraded monitoring arrangements, among them digital tracking tools, to identify irregularities both while the examination runs and afterwards.

In the view of education analysts, AI-assisted malpractice illustrates how the task of protecting assessment integrity keeps shifting, which has driven examination bodies to tighten verification procedures and enforcement.

JAMB maintained that malpractice, including the forging of scores through digital means, carries legal consequences under Nigeria’s examination laws. The board confirmed that investigations are continuing and that further arrests could follow if more people are linked to the offence.

The names of the suspects had not been released at the time of filing this report, as enquiries continue and prosecution remains a possibility.