The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has exposed a brazen case of serial fraud in which a known examination syndicate member deceived the same group of 94 UTME candidates twice, first by promising to inflate their scores, and then by extorting them a second time with false claims that he could prevent the cancellation of their registrations.
JAMB Registrar Professor Is haq Oloyede disclosed the details in a statement issued to the press in Abuja, naming Emmanuel Praise Akataka as the individual at the centre of the scheme. Akataka had previously been arrested as part of a syndicate involved in criminal conspiracy, impersonation, identity theft and online fraud targeting UTME candidates.
Operating under the fictitious identity “Official Frederick,” Akataka ran a WhatsApp platform advertising bogus services, including score inflation. Through this platform, he deceived no fewer than 94 candidates into paying for the illegal and non existent service. The affected candidates were subsequently invited to appear before a special committee to establish their innocence, and the Minister’s approval was obtained for the cancellation of their registrations.
Following his release on bail, Akataka reestablished contact with the same candidates. This time, operating under a new alias, “Sir Frederick,” he demanded N70,000 from each candidate, falsely claiming he could prevent the cancellation of their registrations through contacts within the Board. Investigations further revealed that Akataka initially used his father’s bank account, registered under the name Vincent Okpowho Akataka, to receive payments. When he suspected exposure, he opened a second account with SmartCash under the name Zainab Rafiu, falsely presenting the individual as a JAMB director to lend credibility to the scam.
JAMB described it as deeply troubling that candidates already implicated in misconduct had fallen victim to a second round of fraud, warning that the pattern reflects a growing willingness among some candidates to seek unlawful advantage rather than demonstrate integrity. The Board reiterated that no individual or group can influence UTME results, provide special assistance or manipulate candidate registration under any circumstances.
This is a stark reminder that anyone promising to alter scores or reverse registration decisions is running a scam, and that the real cost of engaging such individuals extends far beyond the money lost.
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