The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said it was shocked at the high-level extortion of candidates discovered at the University of Benin’s Computer-Based Centre which led to its suspension in the registration of the ongoing Universal Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME.
This year, the sale or registration forms to all candidates sitting for UTME and Direct Entry (UTME/DE) including those outside Nigeria, started January 10 and will end February 21.
Also, the 2019 computer-based test examination will begin on Saturday, March 16 and end on March 23.
The board, in a statement on Tuesday night by its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, asked the university to do a thorough job with a view to unravelling the individual elements behind the shocking act.
According to the statement, the Registrar of the board, Ishaq Oloyede, was particularly not only shocked but also more disturbed with evidence of the extortion of candidates by the university’s CBT centre.
Mr Fabian’s statement was informed by the university’s earlier press release which had claimed that its suspension of the school’s CBT centre in the UTME registration was hastily carried out.
“The attention of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has been drawn to a press release by the University of Benin on the suspension of the University CBT centre on the breach of the code governing the 2019 UTME registration exercise,” he said.
Mr Fabian said the board refutes the comment that the conclusion was done hastily and without proper investigation.
“The Board, therefore, asks the university to do a thorough investigation to identify the bad eggs in the shameful episode before further development,” he said.
“An apology shall be required not only to the Board but also to the nation if, after the denial, the evidence is adduced to prove the infraction committed on the ground of a highly respected institution as the University of Benin,” he said.
JAMB suspended nine of its more than 700 Computer-Based Test centres taking part in the ongoing registration exercise over allegations bordering on their engagement in illegal activities.
The affected centres include the University of Benin ICT Computer Based Test (CBT) and DA Civic Centre, both in Benin City, Edo State; Mardakem Company Ltd., Oron, Akwa Ibom State; Bintels Global Services LTD, Aguleri, and Noble & Shuaib ICT Ltd, Alor, Anambra State, among others.
