ABUJA, Nigeria – The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has firmly denied widespread rumors that it posts candidates to examination centres outside the towns they selected during registration for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The Board described such claims as “erroneous, malicious, and aimed solely at tarnishing its reputation”.
In a statement issued in Abuja by JAMB spokesperson Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the Board emphasized that every candidate has the right to choose their preferred examination town at the point of registration. JAMB then assigns each candidate to a Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre within that selected town, prioritizing convenience and accessibility.
“Let it be unequivocally clear: at the time of registration, candidates have the right to select their preferred examination town. JAMB subsequently assigns them to a centre within the selected town. The baseless claim that candidates are posted to towns different from their choices is erroneous, malicious, and aimed solely at tarnishing the Board’s reputation. It does not happen,” Benjamin stated.
JAMB further challenged the public to provide evidence of any candidate posted outside their chosen town, offering a “handsome financial reward” to anyone who can present authentic proof within 96 hours. To ensure transparency, such evidence should be submitted to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) via WhatsApp for independent verification.
The Board attributed the persistence of these rumors to some candidates, parents, and secondary school proprietors who may mislead or defraud others by perpetuating the falsehood. JAMB urged parents and candidates to trust the Board’s processes and to disregard misinformation.
Benjamin also highlighted the importance of preliminary verification at CBT centres, advising candidates to arrive 90 minutes before their scheduled exam time-a protocol comparable to airline check-in procedures.
Reiterating its commitment to fairness and transparency, JAMB called on the public to grant agencies the benefit of the doubt and to recognize that the Board exists to serve the public interest at all times.