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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Five suspects are to be arraigned before a Federal High Court on charges of allegedly hacking into the server of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) during the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) Computer-Based Test (CBT).
The Inspector-General of Police, who is the complainant in the matter, filed a six-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/300/2026 on 22 May through prosecuting counsel Faith Dimka before Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The charges border on cybercrime, examination malpractice and cheating.
The IGP named the defendants as Ojiyovwi Miracle, Goodluck Ovuijeddo, Dennis Uvietesivwi, Ransome Monday and Hilda Ejohwemu, listed as the first to fifth defendants, respectively. All five are residents of Delta State.
According to the charge sheet, count one accuses the defendants of conspiring to commit offences bordering on unlawful access to a computer system and computer-related fraud.
Count two alleges that on 20 April 2026, the defendants, without authorisation, intentionally accessed a computer system and network and remotely infiltrated the JAMB server by installing software known as RADMI on over 200 systems used for the UTME CBT.
The prosecution further alleged that once installed, the software operated the systems remotely for fraudulent purposes and extracted data considered vital to national security.
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In count three, the defendants are accused of knowingly and without authority causing loss of property by altering, erasing, inputting and suppressing data during the UTME CBT, with the intent of conferring economic benefit upon themselves at JAMB’s expense.
Count four charges the defendants with conspiring to commit examination malpractice and aiding and abetting the same, while count five alleges that they used fraudulent devices, false pretences and deceptive means to procure examination question papers intended for use during the UTME CBT.
Count six accuses the defendants of conspiring, aiding, abetting, counselling, inciting, procuring and inducing others to commit examination malpractice during the same examination.
Counts one, two and three are punishable under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, as amended in 2024, while counts four, five and six are punishable under the Examination Malpractice Act 1999 (LFN 2004).
However, when the case came up for arraignment before Justice Liman on Thursday, it could not proceed.
The judge observed that since all the defendants reside in Delta State, it would be more expedient for the matter to be heard at the court’s division in that state to ensure faster prosecution.
Both Faith Dimka, counsel to the IGP, and lawyers representing the defendants did not oppose the suggestion.
Justice Liman consequently ordered that the case file be returned to the central registry for transfer to the Delta Division of the court.
