JAMB: 2 arrested for alleged hike in UTME cost

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), has arrested Mr Ambrose Okogwa, 55, and Mr Fidelis Imafido, 65, for allegedly selling the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME), registration form above the prescribed fees.

The duo, from Esan Central in Edo, were arrested in Agbor, Delta State, on Jan. 20, and brought to the headquarters of the corp in Abuja on Tuesday, during an interactive session with stakeholders.

Our correspondent reports that the suspects were arrested following an intelligence report by officials of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

According to Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar of JAMB, the duo, who were agents of Unity Bank, were caught selling the form for N5,500 at the Ambi Bookshop/Cafe in Agbor, instead of N4,000.

Oloyede, however, said the board had withdrawn licences of 11 centres for charging candidates exorbitant amounts for the examinations.

He added that the proliferation of tutorial centres was a major concern as most of the centres engaged in fraud and corruption during registrations and examinations.

Oloyede said that charging above the stipulated N4,700 for the 2020 UTME registration thereby making illegitimate money would only destroy the nation as it was an act of fraud and corruption.

“Many people make illegitimate money from the examination and we will be destroying the nation if we don’t get things right.

“Prior to 2018, we sell the form for N5,000, but the Federal Government considered so many things and felt the money was much and in 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari decided that the cost should be slashed, which brought the cost to N3,500.

“Also, prior to this time, there were unscrupulous people selling as high as N10,000. We now eased the sale of the forms to make it available so that it will not be possible for those selling to hoard the forms.

“We felt the banks are overcrowded so we decided to expand the sale outlets to bring in mobile money operators to cover all the registered banks.

“The effects of the expansion is that some people are still penetrating the banks, thereby increasing the cost of the fees,” he lamented.