2017 UTME: JAMB, NSCDC arrest more UTME form fraudsters

Barely two days after the arrest of a syndicate of four men specialized in printing and selling of fake UTME forms to prospective candidates at Ekiti, two more were on Saturday arrested at Abeokuta in Ogun.

Mr Olujide Adisa, Director, Special Duties, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, (JAMB), disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Lagos.

Adisa said that the arrest was made by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), in collaboration with the board.

The NSCDC had on Thursday arrested and paraded four men at Ekiti, who were allegedly defrauding innocent prospective candidates.

The suspects carried out the act under the guise of selling admission forms, registration, and issuing registration numbers to the public for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

They were subsequently arrested after a tip-off at a cyber café which they were using as their base to carry out the act.

According to the Director, any candidate who has paid money to these men did so at his own risks as the board was yet to advertise the sale of the registration documents for this year’s examination.

“First and foremost, our UTME is not out yet and I will like to state clearly that JAMB is not responsible for these fake UTME forms in circulation.

“This is because we had yet to advertise the sale of these forms which would be acquired through e-payment and at only accredited designated centres, not cyber cafes.

“Therefore, those who had already patronised these touts should simply know that they had been defrauded.

“We have come out a number of times to announce that the forms were not yet out and that once we were through with putting all the necessary machinery in place for the 2017 date of the examination, we will carry out enough sensitization to that effect.

“In addition, we have JAMB offices, telephone numbers, as well as JAMB coordinators  in each state across the country and so, wherever one finds himself or herself, can go there and make enquiries for proper information,’’ he said.

Adisa said that it was unfortunate that this had happened to innocent Nigerians, admonishing people to be mindful of whoever they related with on issues involving money.

He vowed that the board, in collaboration with the NSCDC, would continue to be on the trail of such fraudsters , adding that those that have  been arrested would be charged to court.

“In addition to charging them to court, we would as much as possible ensure that these fraudsters return every kobo collected from innocent prospective candidates and their family members

“We have already mandated the NSCDC to go all out after them in their cyber cafes nationwide and arrest anyone found in the act.

“Let me also seize this opportunity to once again emphasise the fact that the forms are not yet out and when we are ready to roll them out, we will reach Nigerians wherever they are, through the right channel, as well as advertise where to get them.

“Again, we do not receive cash to issue these forms as all payments will be done on-line and the mode of subscription is no longer through scratch cards,’’ he said.