The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has dismissed claims that it posted candidates outside their chosen examination centres for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

In a statement released on Saturday in Abuja, JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, made it clear that the board values the convenience of candidates and ensures that everyone sits for the exam in a location they selected among the available Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres.

He explained that candidates have the full right to choose their preferred examination town during registration, and JAMB simply assigns them to a centre within that town.

Benjamin pointed fingers at some secondary school owners and candidates who, according to him, continue to mislead and extort parents by spreading false stories.

“Let’s be clear: candidates pick their preferred town during registration, and JAMB posts them to a centre in that town,” he said. “The rumours that candidates are being sent to places they didn’t choose are completely false and only aimed at damaging the board’s image.”

To prove JAMB’s seriousness, Benjamin announced a financial reward for anyone who can provide solid evidence of a candidate posted outside their selected town. He also stated that any such proof should be sent within 96 hours to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) through WhatsApp at 08056003030, allowing an independent body to handle the verification.

Speaking further, he compared the exam day procedures to what is expected at airports. “If passengers can be told to arrive at the airport two hours before a flight, then it’s reasonable to ask candidates to arrive at CBT centres 90 minutes before their exam for verification purposes,” he said.

He pointed out that many parents do not realise that early arrival helps handle important processes before the exams begin.