UTME: 5 arrested for impersonation

TRACKING____The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Kaduna State Command, says it arrested five suspects for impersonation during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the arrest was made by operatives of NSCDC, led by the state Commandant, Mr Babangida Dutsinma, while monitoring the exercise on Tuesday.

Four of the suspects, all male, were arrested in Sabongari, Kaduna North and Kaduna South Local Government Areas, while the remaining suspect, a female, was picked-up in Chikun Local Government.

One of the suspects who gave his name as Victor Oforbuke, 30, a Masters Degree holder, was arrested at Zaria Academy where he posed as Bello Mustafa, 29, who engaged him in the deal for a fee of N20,000.

Another suspect, Abdullahi Alkassim-Maikano, 19, who went to write the examination for Shuaibu Hamza, 29, was arrested together with the candidate in Kaduna-south, while John Michael, 32, who collected N15,000 out of N20,000 to ‘help’ a candidate, Sanusi Shehu was arrested in Kaduna North.

The remaining suspect, a female, who gave her name as Bilkisu Ojulaye, 17, was arrested at Bethel Baptist Centre in Chikun local government area when she attempted to write the exam for one Philomena Ugbe, currently at large.

Dutsinma told NAN that the monitoring was to ensure transparency in the ongoing UTME being conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

“I personally monitored the exercise alongside Head of Operations Department of the command and the media, and I am satisfied with the conduct of the examination”, he is quoted by the news agency.

The Commandant warned candidates to shun examination malpractice as anyone caught would be prosecuted, adding that all the five suspects would be charged to court on conclusion of investigation.

Dutsinma said the command would ensure credibility of the examination and safety of officials and candidates, and promised that the monitoring exercise would continue.

Examination centres visited by the commandant included Danbo International School, IRL IT Solutions Nigeria Limited, Skolak Resources Limited and Kaduna State University.