At least 20 individuals are currently in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Police Force in Abuja for allegedly hacking into the servers used for the 2025 Computer-Based Test (CBT) examinations conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
The suspects are reportedly members of a broader syndicate consisting of more than 100 individuals who specialize in breaching the computer systems of major examination bodies, including JAMB and the National Examinations Council (NECO).
Security sources revealed that the suspects have confessed to intentionally sabotaging the CBT systems to undermine JAMB’s credibility and discourage the continued use of computer-based testing for examinations such as WAEC and NECO.
One of the sources disclosed that the syndicate used custom-developed hacking software to remotely access and manipulate JAMB’s servers at specific CBT centres. The software was allegedly installed on routers that were secretly placed near the exam centres, allowing the hackers to bypass JAMB’s security systems.
“The hackers deployed routers close to the targeted CBT centres, which enabled remote access to JAMB’s servers,” the source said. “This setup allowed certain ‘special candidates’—who had paid substantial fees—to receive exam answers in real time.”
