The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board is withholding 39,834 UTME results after uncovering irregularities, with over 80 suspects currently being interrogated nationwide during the 2025 examinations.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that it is withholding 39,834 results from the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The results are being withheld due to several cases of exam malpractice.

This update came as the board officially released the results of the 2025 UTME. It had earlier reported that around 1.9 million candidates participated in the exam across Nigeria.

According to JAMB, about 80 suspects are currently being questioned in different parts of the country for their alleged involvement in cheating during the exam. The highest number of suspects so far has come from Anambra State, with 14 individuals under investigation.

While announcing the release of the results, the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, shared more details about the situation. He revealed that only 467 underage candidates were able to meet the required rminimum score for admission. He also said that 50 of those underage candidates had been caught cheating.

GWG.ng reports that the decision of JAMB to withhold the 39,834 results from the UTME trails claims by a senior government official that the increased failure from the exam was a result of the administration’s tough measures against malpractises.

A teenage girl, Lawal Hameedat Adenike, has filed a lawsuit against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the PEFTI Computer-Based Test Centre, alleging that she was compelled to remove her hijab before sitting the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The suit, filed through her mother and legal representative, challenges the alleged violation of her religious rights during the exam held on April 25, 2025, at the PEFTI CBT Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the girl’s mother, Basirat Ojo, described the incident as distressing and degrading.

“My daughter was told she could not write the exam unless she removed her hijab, which she wears for religious reasons. It was a painful experience for her and unacceptable to us as a family,” she said.

The legal team is seeking a public apology from both JAMB and PEFTI, to be published in two national newspapers, as well as financial compensation.

The suit also asks the court to declare that any policy requiring female candidates to remove their hijabs is unconstitutional.

Lawal’s lawyer, Qousim Opakunle, stated that the action violated Section 38 of the Nigerian, which guarantees freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

“This case is about upholding the fundamental rights of citizens, particularly minors who may not have the capacity to assert those rights on their own,” he said.

The case has sparked discussions around religious freedom and examination protocols in Nigeria.

By Francesca Hangeior

A team of computer science students from Caleb University has emerged champion at the Bells University of Technology Hackathon Competition, showcasing their newly developed software, Valor — an AI-powered application designed to detect the ripeness of mangoes using advanced machine learning and image processing technology.

Described as “the Smart, Bold, Brainy, Savvy, Mango Master,” Valor impressed judges with its ability to classify mango ripeness with high precision.

According to a statement on Thursday, the app, built on computer vision and deep learning models, addresses challenges in the agricultural sector by helping farmers, suppliers, and consumers determine when mangoes are ripe or spoiled — a problem that often results in food waste and lost value.

The victorious team comprised a final-year Software and Computer Vision Engineer, Harmony Abayomi; a 400-level Data and AI Engineer, Nwachukwu Chibuzor, and, a 400-level Data Analyst, Efod Freda.

The students said their motivation stemmed from the need to reduce wastage and improve accuracy in fruit quality assessment.

“Detecting ripeness and spoilage in mangoes remains a significant challenge. Overripe fruits lead to wastage and loss of value, while under ripe ones fail to meet the expectations of consumers. Traditional methods like visual inspection are subjective and often unreliable,” the team said.

The Acting Vice Chancellor of Caleb University, Prof Sunday Adewale, hosted the winning team and praised their achievement.

“Caleb University has become a colossal hub for innovation and academic excellence,” he said. “The success of Valor is a testament to our commitment to nurturing innovation, academic excellence, and real-world problem-solving.”

Adewale added that the university’s environment promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and hands-on learning, providing students with the necessary tools to excel in today’s tech-driven world.

Head of the Computer Science Department, Dr. Adeniyi Akanni, and Team Coordinator, Mr. Ajala, in a joint statement, described the app as a “sophisticated web and mobile application that leverages advanced machine learning and AI algorithms to analyse images and data.”

They noted that the project marks a significant intersection of technology and agriculture, highlighting how innovations from Caleb University are contributing to global efforts to improve food quality and reduce waste.