The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has refuted claims that it assigns candidates to examination centres outside the towns they selected during registration.
In a statement released on Saturday in Abuja, JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin clarified that all candidates are posted to centres within their chosen towns, based on the availability of Computer-Based Test (CBT) facilities.
He stressed that the Board prioritizes candidates’ convenience and strictly adheres to their selected preferences.
Benjamin pointed out that some parents may have been misled by their wards or certain secondary school proprietors spreading false information.
“At the point of registration, candidates are given the freedom to choose their preferred examination town. JAMB assigns them to centres within those towns.
The claim that candidates are posted elsewhere is unfounded, malicious, and intended to damage the Board’s reputation,” he said.
To challenge the false narrative, JAMB has offered a financial reward to anyone who can provide verified proof of a candidate posted outside their selected town.
Such evidence, Benjamin noted, must be sent within 96 hours to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) WhatsApp number: 08056003030, allowing for independent verification.
He also urged the public to understand necessary examination procedures, comparing them to the standard airline practice of requiring passengers to arrive early for preliminary checks.
Benjamin explained that candidates arriving 90 minutes before exams helps ensure smooth verification processes.
Appealing for trust, he encouraged the public to give agencies the benefit of the doubt, emphasizing JAMB’s commitment to serving the public good.
On a lighter note, Benjamin recounted an incident where a female UTME candidate refused to attempt any questions during her exam, following her grandfather’s advice to wait for a miraculous intervention.
He warned candidates against relying on superstition instead of preparation.