By Felix Khanoba
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the re-arrest of an alleged examination fraudster, Emmanuel Praise Akataka, warning candidates and the public against falling victim to illegal schemes promising score manipulation.
Addressing newsmen on Thursday in Abuja on Thursday, the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, described Akataka as a key member of a syndicate involved in “criminal conspiracy, impersonation, identity theft, online fraud, and other related offences targeted at Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates.”
Oloyede, who spoke through the Director of Special Duties, Zainab Hamza, said Akataka had earlier been arrested for operating under a fictitious identity, “Official Frederick,” through which he ran a WhatsApp platform offering fake 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 JAMB boss said.
The registrar noted that despite being granted bail after his initial arrest, the suspect allegedly resumed fraudulent activities, this time under a new alias, “Sir Frederick,” demanding ₦70,000 from candidates with false assurances that he could prevent the cancellation of their registrations.
“Following his release on bail, Mr. Akataka re-established contact with the same candidates he had previously defrauded… falsely claiming that he could prevent the cancellation of their registrations as he was allegedly ‘in contact’ with the Board,” the JAMB boss stated.
According to JAMB, investigations further revealed that the suspect used multiple bank accounts, including one belonging to his late father and another opened under a false identity, to collect payments.
The Board expressed concern that some candidates continued to patronise such schemes despite earlier warnings.
“It is deeply concerning that the same candidates involved in the initial infraction have again fallen victim… This troubling pattern raises serious concerns about the growing willingness among some candidates to pursue unlawful advantage,” he added.
Oloyede reiterated that no individual or group could influence UTME results, stressing that “any claim of score enhancement or examination assistance is fraudulent.”
He also disclosed that it has secured the conviction of more than six offenders since 2025, including one Ibrahim Abdulaziz, who was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for impersonation.
Oloyede warned candidates and parents to avoid engaging with fraudsters, stressing that such actions expose them to legal consequences and financial loss.
“The integrity of the nation’s examination system remains non-negotiable, and the Board will not relent in safeguarding it,” the Board said.
Fielding questions from newsmen, Akataka admitted to the fraud and appealed for leniency, attributing his actions to financial hardship and family pressure.
“I was finding it difficult to survive… that was the actual reason I opened a group,” he said.
He further confessed to returning to the illegal activity after being granted bail, citing his mother’s ill health.
“The reason why I went back to it was because my mom was actually suffering from a very, very severe disease… I was finding a means to assist her with her hospital fees,” he stated.
Akataka disclosed that he made about ₦1.5 million from the scheme, insisting that all services offered were fake.
“All were fake. I was just trying any means possible to be able to meet up,” he admitted.
