The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has denied reports that fifteen candidates were kidnapped while travelling from Onitsha to Okigwe to write the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Exam (UTME).
According to an update on Monday from JAMB, the vehicle the candidates boarded developed a fault in an area where there wasn’t a mobile network to call for help or to communicate with their families.
JAMB, however, added that as of press time, the candidates have been reunited with their families and confirmed by the Imo State Police Command.
Naijaonpoint reports that the clarification from JAMB was necessitated by an earlier claim by a social media user, with the handle @uchePokoye, who claimed that fifteen candidates were kidnapped on their way to write the UTME.
The claim has, however, been denied by JAMB.
“This is to inform the general public that no candidates were kidnapped from Onitsha to Okigwe as erroneously reported by @uchePokoye.
“The said candidates arranged a vehicle to convey them from Onitsha, Anambra state to write exam at Okigwe, Imo state. On their way, the vehicle developed a fault and unfortunately, there wasn’t a mobile network in the area, as such, they couldn’t call for help.
“The candidates, according to the Imo state Police, had since reunited with their families, only that Uche Okoye didn’t deem it fit to return to give updates on the misinformation,” JAMB explained.
The examination body also queried the decision of the said candidates to choose an examination centre outside their state of residence.
“The questions we’re asking as an agency include- Of all the exam towns in Anambra state, what prompted the candidates’ selection of examination towns in Imo state and why group transportation arrangement?” JAMB queried.