Every year, thousands of Nigerian students sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in pursuit of a University place. For one young man in Katsina, the temptation to cheat that process has cost him three years of his freedom.
A Federal High Court in Katsina convicted Ibrahim Abdulaziz on Thursday and sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine for fraudulently impersonating a candidate during the UTME. Justice Hussaini Dadan Garba, who delivered the judgment, stated clearly that the sentence was meant to serve as a deterrent to others who might consider similar conduct.
The prosecution, led by Mr. A.D. Saleh, Officer in Charge of Legal at the Katsina Police Command, told the court that Abdulaziz committed the offence on 30 April 2025 at Zee Alpha Academy in Funtua, Katsina State, where he unlawfully and fraudulently presented himself as a registered UTME candidate, Bolanwu Emmanuel. The charges were prosecuted under sections 3(1)(a) and (b), and 3(2)(c) of the Examinations Malpractice Act, Cap E15 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Three witnesses were called by the prosecution, which also tendered the examination slip as evidence. Defence counsel M.T. Steve challenged the admissibility of the slip, but Justice Dadan Garba overruled the objection and admitted it as an exhibit. Abdulaziz denied any connection to the first defendant and claimed to have been a legitimate candidate, but was unable to prove this before the court. The first defendant, Bolanwu Emmanuel, was discharged and acquitted.
If you are sitting the UTME this year, the message from Katsina could not be clearer. Impersonation is a criminal offence under Nigerian law, and as this case shows, the courts are prepared to impose custodial sentences with no option of a fine. No University place is worth three years in prison.
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