JAMB releases 15,490 more withheld results

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the release of the results of 15,490 candidates withheld in the just concluded 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Spokesman of the Board, Dr Fabian Benjamin in a statement on Monday in Abuja said the Board had during the release of the 2019 UTME result on Saturday, 11th May, 2019, said some results were withheld to further probe the identity and involvement of some candidates who were suspected of being involved in one examination infraction or another.

He explained that the release followed the expert review of the cases of this category of candidates who were requested to upload certain credentials for scrutiny.

He added that at the conclusion of the review exercise, this category of candidates were further classified into five groups as follows; those who have sufficiently proved their innocence; those with inconclusive evidence of culpability and were given the benefit of the doubt because of the guiding principles of the Board that it is better for many criminals to go free than to punish one innocent candidate.

“Consequently, the results of categories (i)and (ii) were part of the 15,490  released on Saturday, 8th June 2019. They are to send RESULT to 55019 for their result.

“Those whose upload of evidence necessitated further interrogation.  They have been notified and invited (through a phone call, their profile, text message and email) to designated centres across the country for further clarification of the evidence against them.

“It is in their interest to attend otherwise the evidence will be taken as conclusive.

“Those whose culpability has been firmly established thus necessitating the cancellation of their results. A total of additional 321 results were therefore conclusively cancelled and the candidates are being notified.

“Those who did not heed the advice to upload evidence of their identity vis-a-vis the other impersonators and there are incontrovertible evidence of their culpability.  They also have their results cancelled along with category (iv) above. Furthermore, four additional CBT centres were found culpable and were also delisted,” JAMB said.

It would be recalled that the Board had last week released the results of candidates earlier cleared of wrongdoing.

It has also conducted fresh examinations in two centres – Abuja and Otuoke where it was convinced of the genuine need to examine the 490 candidates who missed examination as a result of apparent communication lapses.

Benjamin said the Board has endured the pains of this tedious exercise in order to sanitize its process and ensure that only genuine candidates are enrolled into the Nigerian tertiary education system.

He said: “Board is still deeply saddened by the discovery of clusters of examination syndicates and the depth of their nefarious activities hence our renewed commitment to exterminate all forms of examination malpractices at least as it concerns UTME.

“It seems the iron-clad resolve of the Board to block all loopholes for examination malpractice is being underestimated by examination cheats and other fraudulent characters.

“The Board will continue to deploy cutting-edge technology and also engage the services of globally-acclaimed experts to ensure that the sanctity of its examination is protected.

“The truth is that the Board is unequivocally committed to changing the ugly narrative about the conduct of public examinations in Nigeria and, as such, would not be deterred by the antics and propaganda of vested interests that may want to derail its avowed commitment to doing the needful at all cost.

“The righteous have no fear but the culpable has reasons to be afraid. The Board will continue to update the public as the screening progresses,” he said.