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2025 UTME: Authorities Arrest Over 20 for Alleged CBT Exam Hacking

Published by Tope Fakinlede on May 24th, 2025.

2025 UTME: Authorities Arrest Over 20 for Alleged CBT Exam Hacking

More than 20 individuals have been taken into custody nationwide for their involvement in hacking activities targeting the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), organized by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Reports indicate that the arrests took place in Abuja, where security personnel uncovered a major breach in JAMB’s computer-based testing (CBT) system. The coordinated operation was carried out by the Department of State Services (DSS) alongside the Nigerian Police Force.

The suspects are believed to be part of a wider cybercrime network consisting of over 100 members, allegedly focused on undermining the digital infrastructure of key national examination bodies such as JAMB and the National Examinations Council (NECO).

Sources within the security agencies revealed that the accused admitted to sabotaging JAMB’s CBT platform with the intention of discrediting the board and casting doubt on the reliability of future digital examinations, including those conducted by WAEC and NECO.

One suspect, whose identity remains confidential, reportedly confessed that the group had engineered and deployed specialized malware to remotely access and manipulate JAMB servers during the test period.