Five residents of Delta State have been charged before a Federal High Court over their alleged involvement in hacking the server of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) during the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The charges, filed by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), border on cybercrime, examination malpractice, computer-related fraud and cheating. The case marks a significant development in ongoing efforts by law enforcement authorities to combat technology-driven examination fraud in Nigeria.
According to court documents, the defendants are accused of unlawfully accessing JAMB’s computer systems and participating in activities aimed at compromising the integrity of the 2026 UTME computer-based examination. Prosecutors alleged that the suspects remotely infiltrated the examination infrastructure and installed software capable of gaining unauthorized control of computer systems used during the examination.
The accused persons were identified as Ojiyovwi Miracle, Goodluck Ovuijeddo, Dennis Uvietesivwi, Ransome Monday and Hilda Ejohwemu, all residents of Delta State. The six-count charge includes conspiracy to commit cybercrime, unauthorized access to computer systems, computer-related fraud, examination malpractice and aiding and abetting examination malpractice.
The prosecution further alleged that the suspects manipulated examination systems and obtained examination materials through fraudulent means in an attempt to confer unlawful advantages on candidates. The offences are said to be punishable under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended, and the Examination Malpractice Act.
The charges follow earlier investigations by the Nigeria Police Force and JAMB, which uncovered a sophisticated examination malpractice syndicate operating in Delta State. Investigators had previously reported that unauthorized remote access was gained to candidates’ computer systems during the UTME, leading to arrests and the withdrawal of results from affected examination centres pending further investigations.
When the matter came up in court, proceedings were stalled after the trial judge observed that all the defendants reside in Delta State. The court subsequently ordered that the case file be transferred to the Delta Division of the Federal High Court to facilitate a faster and more convenient trial. Both the prosecution and defence teams reportedly raised no objection to the transfer.
Authorities have reiterated their commitment to prosecuting individuals involved in examination malpractice and cyber enabled fraud, warning candidates, examination centre operators and collaborators against attempting to undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s educational assessment system.
