The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) is set to arraign five individuals over their alleged involvement in hacking the server of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) during the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The suspects, identified as Ojiyovwi Miracle, Goodluck Ovuijeddo, Dennis Uvietesivwi, Ransome Monday and Hilda Ejohwemu, are facing multiple charges bordering on cybercrime, examination malpractice and computer-related fraud.
According to the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/300/2026 and filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the defendants allegedly conspired to gain unlawful access to JAMB’s computer systems and manipulate examination processes during the conduct of the UTME Computer-Based Test (CBT).
The Inspector-General of Police, listed as the complainant in the case, filed the charges through prosecution counsel, Faith Dimka, on May 22.
Court documents revealed that the suspects, all residents of Delta State, were accused of unlawfully accessing JAMB’s server in April by allegedly installing a software known as RADMI on more than 200 computer systems used for the UTME CBT nationwide.
The prosecution alleged that the software enabled remote operation of the affected systems without authorisation and was deployed for fraudulent purposes. Investigators further claimed that the operation allowed access to sensitive data considered vital to national security.
In another count, the defendants were accused of deliberately altering, erasing, inputting and suppressing data on April 20, allegedly causing loss to JAMB while seeking economic benefits for themselves during the examination exercise.
The suspects were also charged with conspiracy to commit examination malpractice, obtaining examination materials through fraudulent means and aiding candidates in securing undue advantages during the UTME.
According to the charge, the defendants allegedly procured or attempted to procure examination questions intended for use by JAMB through deceptive methods and facilitated acts that contravened provisions of Nigeria’s Examination Malpractice Act.
The offences contained in counts one to three are punishable under relevant sections of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, while counts four to six are based on provisions of the Examination Malpractice Act, 1999.
Although the suspects were scheduled to take their plea before Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, proceedings did not go ahead.
During the hearing, Justice Liman observed that since all five defendants reside in Delta State, the matter would be more appropriately handled at the court’s Delta division to facilitate speedy prosecution and reduce logistical challenges.
Neither the prosecution nor defence counsel objected to the court’s position.
The judge subsequently directed that the case file be returned to the court’s central registry for transfer to the Federal High Court division in Delta State, where further proceedings will continue.