The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has rearrested Emmanuel Akataka, one of the syndicate members earlier arrested in connection with Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration fraud.
JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede announced this in a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
Oloyede, who was represented by the Board’s Director of Special Duties, Zainab Hamza, informed that Mr. Akataka had previously been apprehended for his role in a network engaged in criminal conspiracy, impersonation, identity theft, online fraud, and other related offences targeted at UTME candidates.
In the course of his operations, he created a fictitious identity known as “Official Frederick”, through which he established a WhatsApp platform used to advertise false services such as score inflation.
“Through this scheme, he deceived no fewer than 94 candidates into soliciting for score enhancement by paying for this illegal and non-existent service.
“The affected candidates were given a fair hearing by the Board by giving the opportunity to appear before a special committee to establish their innocence. The Honourable Minister’s approval was obtained for the cancellation of their registrations. Mr. Akataka was thereafter granted bail in line with due legal process. Following his release on bail, Mr. Akataka re-established contact with the same candidates he had previously defrauded.
“This time, he adopted another alias, “Sir Frederick,” and demanded the payment of ₦70,000 from each candidate, falsely claiming that he could prevent the cancellation of their registrations as he was allegedly “in contact” with the Board”, he said.
The Registrar disclosed that further investigation revealed he initially used his father’s bank account, bearing the name Vincent Akataka, to collect payments. Upon suspecting that this could expose him, he proceeded to open another account with SmartCash using the name Zainab Rafiu, falsely presented as a Director of JAMB, in order to lend credibility to his fraudulent scheme.
He said it was deeply concerning that the same candidates involved in the initial infraction had again fallen victim to yet another fraudulent scheme. This troubling pattern, he added raised serious concerns about the growing willingness among some candidates to pursue unlawful advantage, rather than exercise the judgment and integrity expected of them.
This conduct is not only criminal but further exposes the deceptive and exploitative nature of such syndicates. The Board reiterates, without qualification, that no individual or group can influence UTME results, facilitate ‘special assistance’, or manipulate candidate registration under any circumstance.
“The public is therefore reminded that: Any claim of score enhancement or examination assistance is fraudulent. Engagement with such schemes constitutes a violation of the law. Candidates who patronise these services expose themselves to both financial loss and legal consequences.
“The case of Emmanuel Praise Akataka once again underscores the dangers of seeking unlawful advantage. What begins as an attempt to circumvent due process often ends in exploitation and criminal liability.
“JAMB, in collaboration with security agencies, will continue to pursue and prosecute all individuals involved in examination fraud.
“Candidates and parents are strongly advised to rely solely on legitimate processes and to reject any form of inducement or illegal assistance”, he said.
According to Prof. Oloyede, the Board had secured the conviction of more than six offenders between 2025 and the present, including Ibrahim Abdulaziz, who was sentenced to three years imprisonment without the option of a fine for impersonation by Justice Hussaini Dada Garba of the Federal Higher Court in Katsina. He had been hired by Tochukwu Emmanuel Bolunwu to sit the 2025 UTME on his behalf.
“The integrity of the nation’s examination system remains non-negotiable, and the Board will not relent in safeguarding it”, he said.
