BUK Expels 178 Students Over Fake Results

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Bayero University, Kano (BUK) has expelled 178 of students since 2019 for presenting fake IJMB results while the ICPC and FME identified irregularities in JUPEB.

Not less than 178 candidates admitted through the Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB) examination into Bayero University, Kano (BUK), between 2019 and 2021, presented fake results, the university has told PREMIUM TIMES.

Lamara Garba, the university’s head of public affairs, said while 142 candidates were caught with fake IJMB results between 2019 and 2020, the remaining fraudulent admission seekers were detected in 2021.

All those caught have been expelled, the university said.

Mr Garba said: “The recent one is this last admission exercise, that is 35 or so of them. And then the 142 was about two years ago. So, put together, it made it 178.

“Usually, you know these children used to go and get IJMB results without sitting the IJMB. They will just get the result, do the faking and everything. And the university has a way of checking fake results including SSCE or results from polytechnics or colleges of education. You know some people will just go to a business centre and get their certificates.”

The Interim Joint Matriculation Board Examination (IJMBE), is an advanced level (A-level) examination used to secure admission into second year in Nigerian universities through direct entry, which is moderated by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

JUPEB irregularities

Meanwhile, another A-level equivalent examination conducted by the Joint Universities Preliminary Examination Board (JUPEB) and coordinated by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on behalf of other partner tertiary institutions, has also been linked with some irregularities.

Last November, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) announced the arrest of 48 individuals for alleged illegalities in the conducts of JUPEB examination.

“The joint operation tagged ‘Operation Combo’ conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, led to the arrests of lecturers, security officers, workers and students from some of the participating universities in the exam,” a statement by ICPC spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, said at the time.

“Operation Combo was simultaneously carried out by the operatives of ICPC and DSS in seven states after extensive monitoring of tutorial schools allegedly known for notoriously compromising JUPEB examinations. This has led to the arrest of the President of Tutorial School Owners (ATSO).

“The operation, a consequence of sustained period of surveillance and undercover investigations spanning several weeks, led to multiple arrests of suspects including parents of candidates of the exam.

“Also arrested were lecturers and others involved in examination malpractices and other illegalities in the participating institutions.

“The suspects were arrested from Wellspring University, Benin, Edo State; Christopher University, Mowe, Ogun State and Crown-Hill University, Ilorin, Kwara State. Again the raid of tutorial centres by operatives in McPherson and Precious Cornerstone universities in Ibadan and Ilara-Epe, in Oyo State respectively, led to more arrests of suspects.

“Credible intelligence gathered during the operations showed active connivance of the parents of the students and the management of the universities.

“Three current Vice-Chancellors have been invited by ICPC for their roles in the unchecked and massive malpractices reported.

“It was revealed that syndicated social media platforms were created by the facilitators for leaking questions and circulating answers to students for a fee during examinations.

“Investigation also revealed that candidates, who are mostly minors, allegedly paid between N350,000 to N500,000 each to the suspects in the various tutorial schools to engage in the illegalities.

“The cartel, in connivance with the coordinators of the examination centres and other management staff of the institutions, deliberately allowed security lapses to enable the candidates go into examination halls with smart-phones and other electronic devices to send question papers to waiting groups online and subsequently, receive answers to questions thereby engaging in massive malpractices.

“Some of the suspects arrested have been granted administrative bail while investigation is ongoing.

“JUPEB is an advanced level educational examination that qualifies its candidate for admission into 200 level in any Nigerian and foreign universities through direct entry. It is coordinated by the UNILAG and has up to 10 accredited universities.”

Jamb Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, says his agency has set up a task team to address the problems with IJMB and JUPEB

Task team inaugurated

Concerned by the irregularities in the examination bodies, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has, therefore, established an A-Level Task Team headed by the immediate past vice-chancellor of BUK and incumbent pro-chancellor of Maitama Sule University, Kano, Yahuza Bello.

Other members of the team are the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Labode Popoola, and a former president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ukachukwu Awuzie, both professors.

Part of the team’s task, according to JAMB, is the establishment of an A-level Data Bank to upload all IJMB and JUPEB results for eventual integration into JAMB’s Central Admission Process System (CAPS), “to make the process of verifications of results easier.”