2025 UTME: JAMB suspects irregularities in result of highest scorer
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has “suspected” irregularities in the scores of Chinedu Okeke, who was declared the top performer in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Ishaq Oloyede, the registrar of JAMB, stated during the 2025 policy meeting of the board held on Tuesday in Abuja that Mr Okeke, who hails from Anambra, achieved the highest score of 375 in the examination.
However, Mr Oloyede noted that the board uncovered certain issues regarding Mr Okeke, who applied to study mechanical engineering at the University of Lagos.
The registrar clarified that information obtained by JAMB showed that Mr Okeke was previously admitted into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), a year earlier, to study Medicine.
He said JAMB contacted UNN for verification concerning the candidate, and the university confirmed that Mr Okeke is currently enrolled and performing well.
In an interview with journalists about the matter, JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin said the board has suspicions of misconduct.
“The law does not allow a student to matriculate twice, and as an undergraduate, he has an advantage over the other candidates in the examinations.”
“In his records, he claimed he is from the South-East, while the other record is reading that he is from Lagos State.”
“We are suspecting that he is a mercenary in the examination,” Mr Benjamin told journalists during a telephone conversation.
The board further announced that John Ayuba from Gombe State secured second place in the examinations with a score of 374, while Olayinka Jimoh from Kwara State obtained a score of 373.
Additional top scorers include Ayibo Roberts from Rivers, Chibueze Omonugbo from Enugu State, Tunmise Olawepo from Kwara, and Leslie Afinotan from Delta, each scoring 373.
Also listed among the top scorers are Chukwuemeka Azoyenime from Delta, Emmanuel Oyebode from Ogun, and Cecil Omigie from Edo, all achieving a score of 372 in the examination.
