The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, has revealed that about 15,000 candidates forged admission letters to qualify for mobilisation into the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
Speaking at the Batch C pre-mobilisation workshop in Abuja, Oloyede disclosed that the perpetrators are already being prosecuted for forgery, with 17 deputy vice-chancellors, deputy registrars, and four JAMB staff currently in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
“As I speak with you, some deputy registrars and deputy vice-chancellors are in prison custody. Those who want to go to jail should do so knowingly, not by accident,” he warned.
NYSC Raises Alarm on Forged Credentials
NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, expressed concern over the rising cases of forged credentials, multiple registrations, and identity theft, stressing that such acts undermine the integrity of the mobilisation process.
“Mobilisation is the gateway to the service year and a vital link in preparing young Nigerian graduates for national integration,” he said.
Similarly, Rachel Idaewor, NYSC’s Director of Corps Mobilisation, called for renewed vigilance to protect data integrity, which she said remains central to the scheme’s credibility.
JAMB Extends Admission Deadline
In a related development, JAMB has extended the 2025/2026 admission deadline for public universities from October 31 to November 17, 2025.
The extension followed appeals from the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU) and recent programme accreditations by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The Board emphasised that this will be the final extension, urging institutions to conclude their admissions before the new deadline.
Six Schools to Face Sanctions for Irregular UTME Registration
JAMB also announced plans to report six secondary schools to the Federal Ministry of Education for engaging in irregular mass registration of candidates during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The affected schools are:
Federal Government Girls College, Onitsha
St. Maria Goretti Girls Secondary School, Nkwerre-Orlu
Finek Group of Schools, Aba
Susu College, Nkpor
Nnamdi Azikiwe University Secondary School, Awka
Deeper Life High School, Onitsha
JAMB warned that students from such schools may be barred from the 2026 UTME, insisting that registration must be done individually at accredited CBT centres.
Warning Against Unauthorised Admission Offers
JAMB also cautioned candidates to ignore any invitations from universities asking them to change programmes through institutional portals rather than the official Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
The Board said some universities — including one in the South-West and another in Abuja — were attempting to manipulate the merit-based process.
“Any change of programme outside CAPS is unauthorised, unethical, and ultimately detrimental to the candidate,” the Board stated.