Education

JAMB Arrests Police Office For Using Mercenary In Its Exams

Published

6 years ago

October 2, 2020

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Friday nabbed personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, one Mr. Israel Etim for engaging another person to sit for him in the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Etim, a Police Constable in the Akwa Ibom State Command, registered for the exam with his name while the mercenary used his picture and other biometric details to sit for the exam.

The Policeman was said to have applied to study Fishery at the Akwa Ibom State University in the 2020 UTME.

While recounting his ordeal in Abuja, Etim told Journalists that he paid N30,000 to engage the services of the mercenary who is a teacher, one Emmanuel, now on the run, to sit for the exam as he was away on special duties.

Etim, after scoring over 240 in the exams decided to commence the admission process but was told that he won’t sail through because of the disparity in the picture, which prompted him to visit JAMB’s office for correction, a move that landed him in trouble.

“I went to their (JAMB) office to change my picture when they told me (in Akwa Ibom) that I won’t be able to use the result because of the picture,” he said.

Etim in an emotion-laden voice appealed to JAMB to temper justice with mercy, promising to help the board in investigating issues of impersonation in UTME.

Responding, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, JAMB Registrar, said Etim would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

Oloyede expressed concern on the antics of some candidates that try to circumvent measures put in place to prevent impersonation.

He cited an instance where a woman’s name appeared on the registration list and a man would attempt to sit on her behalf.

According to him, some candidates complain that they have registered for our examination but could not be verified on the day of examination.

” Many do not grasp the full import of their claims as such candidates, who are more often than not impersonators, expected to be allowed to enter the examination hall without undergoing necessary searches.

“However, in the last UTME, the Board introduced the taking of a snapshot of the candidate who claims they could not be verified and comparing the new picture with the one in our database.

“As a result of this innovation, only very few cases of impersonation were recorded compared with the number in the past,” he said.

The JAMB boss, however, assured candidates that had genuine verification challenges during the 2020 UTME, that the Board would fix a new date for them to write the exam.

Speaking on Israel Etim, Prof. Oloyede said the policeman was one of the 657 candidates that requested for change of picture in their registration profiles, adding that he was arrested where he could not give convincing reasons , before he later confessed to engaging a mercenary in the exam.

“657 want to change pictures and we are now asking them to come forward and give reasons for the change, we are expecting them,” he said.

He said the directive by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, that all institutions should use the already captured biometrics and pictures by the Board in processing admission has made it impossible for candidates whose examinations were taken on their behalf by professional examination takers to gain admissions.

“A good example of the above closely is an arrested member of the Nigeria Police Force, Mr. Etim Israel, who had hired a teacher, one Mr. Emmanuel, still at large, to sit the UTME for him and now wants to change his picture to enable him secure admission.

“This is because the new measures in place would not let him dare show his face in his chosen institution as it is the picture of his impersonator that would be displayed at the screening venue,” he said.

Prof. Oloyede, however, said the Board may not have the capacity to ensure the robust prosecution of all those involved in impersonation during the UTME, but will select some from across the country to face the wrath of the law

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Education

Igbinedion University, EduTech Global Partner On Digital Education, Access

Mr. Femi Shonubi, Co-Founder/CTO – EduTech Global

Published

1 month ago

August 18, 2026

The Gleamer

Cyril Ogar

Igbinedion University, Okada, one of Nigeria’s leading private universities, has entered into a strategic partnership with EduTech Global to accelerate its digital learning ambitions, expand access to its academic programmes to students in the country.

Through the partnership, EduTech will provide digital learning infrastructure and technology support for the University’s Distance Learning Centre (DLC), thereby enabling learners to access quality university education beyond the conventional campus environment.

The partnership reflects Igbinedion University’s ambition to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving higher education landscape by combining its academic heritage with technology, innovation and new models of learning that contribute to national workforce development.

Speaking on the partnership, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, said the collaboration represented a significant step in the university’s ambition to produce graduates equipped for national and global impact.

He said: “At Igbinedion University, our mandate has always been to lead in producing graduates equipped for national and global impact. This partnership with EduTech Global represents a bold step into the future of higher education in Nigeria.
“By expanding our digital learning infrastructure, we are not just breaking down geographical barriers; we are actively contributing to national workforce development by ensuring that quality, industry-aligned education is accessible to every driven learner, regardless of location.”

In his remarks, Director, Igbinedion University Distance Learning Centre, Prof. Gideon Bawa, said the university was motivated by the opportunity to transform its existing processes, which hitherto were being handled manually, and build a more efficient and scalable distance learning model.

The Director clarified: “The growth recorded by institutions that have leveraged EduTech’s technology and expertise was a major factor in our decision to engage the company. We are confident that this partnership will position Igbinedion University to achieve significant growth in enrolment while strengthening the quality and efficiency of our Distance Learning Centre.”

“With this partnership, we expect to move most of our administrative and academic activities online through EduTech. This will improve efficiency, enhance the learner experience and allow our facilitators and students to engage more effectively through a connected digital learning environment”, Bawa added.

Commenting on the collaboration, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, EduTech Global, Femi Shonubi, pointed out that technology had been redefining the boundaries of what a university can offer, adding that EduTech’s role extends beyond putting courses online.

Shonubi expatiated: “Technology’s true value lies in its ability to drive tangible socio-economic impact through education. By dismantling physical boundaries, we are empowering institutions like Igbinedion University to democratise access to high-quality learning. This is about more than online courses; it is about developing a resilient, highly skilled workforce at scale to meet the demands of the modern economy.

“We are helping institutions build connected learning ecosystems that support the student journey from application and enrolment through learning, assessment and graduation. Igbinedion University’s ambition to lead in innovative education aligns strongly with what we are building at EduTech.”

General Manager, Edutech Global, Moyosore Asubiojo said the partnership arises as demand grows for flexible higher education among working professionals, entrepreneurs and learners seeking alternatives to traditional full-time campus education.

She asserted that by combining Igbinedion University’s academic competence with EduTech’s technology capabilities, the collaboration will create new pathways to quality education and workforce development while enabling the University to expand beyond its traditional geographical footprint.

Analysts believe that the partnership between the university and the tech company represents a shared commitment to making higher education more accessible, flexible and scalable, while positioning the university to compete and lead in the next generation of technology-enabled education in Nigeria and globally.

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