The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has announced the arrest of three individuals involved in creating a fake Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) website and falsifying admission letters. The suspects are Effa Leonard Mpama, 34; Ibang Ernest Jerome, 38; and Eshiet Odotukana Benson, 38, with others still at large.

According to a statement released by Force Public Relations Officer ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the suspects are part of a syndicate that conspired to illegally access JAMB’s restricted Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) and e-facility. They manipulated these systems to alter and delete authentic admission letters, replacing them with counterfeit ones. These fraudulent documents were then used to secure admissions into tertiary institutions and mobilize candidates for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program, compromising the integrity of the JAMB admission process.

The statement highlighted the joint efforts of the Nigeria Police Force and JAMB to tackle the proliferation of fake JAMB registration websites and falsified admission letters. The NPF-NCCC arrested the three suspects for Conspiracy, Computer-Related Forgery, and System Interference, in violation of sections 8, 13, and 27 of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015.

Upon their arrest, the suspects confessed to their roles in the conspiracy, which were supported by substantial evidence. Effa Leonard Mpama and Ibang Ernest Jerome, along with other accomplices, collected personal details from prospective candidates and forwarded them to Eshiet Odotukana Benson. Benson obtained CAPS links from two individuals, Daniel and Chris, who are still at large and work at JAMB Computer Based Test (CBT) Centers in FAN and UNICAL in Calabar, Cross River State.

Further digital forensic analysis led to the discovery of four fake domains and two principal members of a syndicate in Imo State responsible for creating and operating these fraudulent websites. Benson, who had access to CAPS links, would use CBT centers to log into the JAMB e-facility with a candidate’s previous admission details and superimpose new, false information to generate fake admission letters.

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, strongly condemned criminal activities of this nature and commended the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center, led by CP Uche Ifeanyi Henry, for their efforts. He reiterated the Force’s commitment to leverage emerging technological advancements to protect Nigerian citizens, both physically and in the digital space.