JAMB uncovers 15,000 forged admission letters for NYSC mobilisation
The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has revealed that 15,000 candidates forged their admission letters to qualify for mobilisation into the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). He said the board has commenced prosecution of those involved in the fraud.
Oloyede made the disclosure at the 2025 Batch C pre-mobilisation workshop held in Abuja, where he also confirmed that 17 deputy vice-chancellors, deputy registrars, and four JAMB officials are in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over the scandal.
He cautioned institutions to adhere strictly to laid-down rules, noting that many of the problems in the admission and mobilisation process are self-inflicted. “As I speak, some deputy registrars and deputy vice-chancellors, not less than 17, including four JAMB staff, are in prison custody. We took them to the ICPC. Those who want to go to jail should do so knowingly, not by accident,” he said.
NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, warned stakeholders against practices that could undermine the credibility of the mobilisation process, lamenting persistent cases of forged credentials, multiple registrations, and identity theft. He described these acts as direct threats to the integrity of the NYSC scheme.
The Director of Corps Mobilisation, Rachel Idaewor, said the scheme had recorded progress in recent years through innovation and digitalisation but still faced challenges relating to data integrity. She urged participants to address fraudulent practices affecting the mobilisation process.
Meanwhile, JAMB has extended the 2025 admission deadline for public universities from October 31 to November 17 following appeals from university administrators and new accreditation exercises affecting admissions. The board said the new date would not be extended further.
In a related development, JAMB announced plans to report six secondary schools to the Federal Ministry of Education for irregular registration during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The affected schools were accused of engaging in mass registration of candidates in violation of the board’s rules.
JAMB also warned candidates to disregard any invitation from universities asking them to change programmes through unofficial portals, describing such actions as unethical and manipulative attempts to alter merit-based admissions. The board vowed to sanction institutions found guilty of such practices.
