Malpractices: NSCDC arrests six Anambra UTME candidates
Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have apprehended six persons for malpractices in the ongoing Joint Admission and Matriculation Board’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in Anambra State.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the command’s Public Relations Officer, Edwin Okadigbo, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday in Awka, the state capital.
He stated that the suspects were caught on Tuesday and Wednesday at three different centres.
Okadigbo listed the identities of the suspects as Decency Nnaji (22) from Nkpor, Idemili North, Egbon Oluebube (21) from Awgbu in Orumba North and Uloeme Somtochukwu (16), from Oba, Idemili South Area.
Others are Omorongieve Idunwaonyi (20) from Benin, Titus Chiamaka (20) from Ubakala, Umuahia South, Abia and Solomon Collins (40) from Awka, Anambra.
He explained that Nnaji and Egbon were arrested at the Info-Tech ICT Centre in the Atani Ogbaru area of Anambra on Tuesday.
According to him, preliminary investigation revealed that Egbon Emmanuel registered for the examination with her name, but hired Nnaji Decency as a mercenary to sit for the examination.
The NSCDC PRO further stated that Uloeme and Omorongieve were caught at Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe Centre on Wednesday.
He added that around 1pm the same day, Chiamaka and Collins were arrested at St. John of God Centre, Awka, stating that Solomon was writing for Titus Chiamaka as a mercenary.
He added that all the suspects had made confessional statements, admitting to the offence.
The command PRO hinted that efforts were on to arrest other accomplices in connection with the offence.
Okadigbo quoted the state commandant, Isdore Chikere, to have commended the personnel for the swift response in arresting the suspects.
The NSCDC commandant, he said, would continue to support JAMB to rid examination centres of all forms of malpractices, especially engaging mercenaries, impersonators and criminally-minded persons to aid and abet fraud.
Okadigbo warned candidates to shun examination malpractices as anyone caught would be prosecuted. Punch
