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The Vice-Chancellor of Salem University Lokoja, Professor Alewo Johnson-Akubo, has urged the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to take immediate action to prevent candidates from manipulating their UTME results. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, the vice chancellor expressed concern over the negative impact this manipulation could have on the education standard in Nigeria.

Recently, JAMB announced that it had withdrawn the result of a candidate named Mmesoma Ejikeme due to alleged manipulation of her scores in the 2023 UTME. The candidate had claimed to have scored 362 and was even awarded a N3 million scholarship by Chief Innocent Chukwuma, the Chairman of Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing company, before her deception was exposed.

Professor Johnson-Akubo emphasized the importance of addressing this issue promptly, as it not only tarnishes the image of JAMB but also reflects negatively on Nigeria as a whole. He stressed the need for JAMB to take decisive action to prevent a decline in educational standards.

“This is a cankerworm that must not be allowed to undermine our educational system or tarnish Nigeria’s reputation internationally,” said Professor Johnson-Akubo. “Universities should also conduct thorough investigations into the admissions status of all candidates to prevent such manipulators from gaining an unfair advantage.”

The discovery by JAMB was seen as a blessing by Salem University Lokoja, which recently concluded its 2022/2023 academic session with a thanksgiving ceremony. The institution has already started admitting students for the 2023/2024 session, with applications being accepted from July 3 onwards for programs such as Law, Accounting, Mass Communication, Geology, and Computer Science.

Professor Johnson-Akubo advised potential candidates to be honest and uphold values such as the fear of God when applying to ensure a smooth process with the university’s management.

As Nigeria continues to strive for excellence in education, it is crucial for institutions like JAMB to take proactive measures to curb the manipulation of UTME results. By doing so, they can uphold the integrity of the system and maintain the highest standards in Nigerian education.