News

WAEC Arrests Over 20 Exam Officials For Malpractice

Published

2 years ago

June 9, 2023

No fewer than 20 school officials, allegedly aiding and abetting examination malpractice, have been arrested by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in its ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates.

The Council said that the arrests were made in various parts of the country.

The Head, National Office (HNO) of council, Mr Patrick Areghan, disclosed this on the sidelines of a monitoring exercise he carried out in some schools on Thursday in Lagos.

According to him, the WAEC has since handed over all the culprits to the police for prosecution.

Areghan vowed that the council would do everything possible to ensure that their prosecution was followed to logical conclusion.

“The issue of examination malpractice can no longer be treated with kid gloves.

“It is no longer business as usual, as it has completely eroded morals and values in our society. It is taking a dangerous dimension, of which, if not tackled will bring our country to its knees.

“Now, since the commencement of this examination, we have deployed our technology, designed to catch examination cheats and we are happy at the results we have gotten so far.

“For instance, in Ibadan, Oyo, where we have our zonal office, which takes care of Osun, Kwara and Oyo itself, we made three arrests in a school and for the purpose of confidentiality, I will not mention the name.

“There, a supervisor at a centre, principal and invigilator were all arrested.They were arrested for allegedly snapping and posting the questions to some platforms, thereby, aiding and abetting examination malpractices.’’

He said: “Then, in Maiduguri, a supervisor and principal of a school, were both arrested and handed over to the police too.

“In Umuahia, a teacher and a supervisor were arrested in a particular school and they have been handed over to the police.

“In Abeokuta, a school proprietor was the first to be caught at the beginning of this examination on May 8, snapping and posting question papers,” he said.

Areghan described the act as a monumental disgrace.

The WAEC official, said that the proprietor and a supervisor had since been arrested and also handed over to the police.

He further disclosed that the same situation was also recorded at

Osogbo, where a principal, invigilator and chief supervisor were arrested for the same offence.

According to him, in Kaduna too, a supervisor and an examination official in a school who were caught in the act, were arrested and handed over to the police.

He explained that the school, which was ceded to Kaduna was supposed to be Kano, but was ceded because it was closer to Kaduna.

Areghan said that the arrests would continue until the end of the examination.

He urged candidates not allow their future to be compromised by persons who did not wish them well, by promising to assist them pass their examination through illegal means, stressing that WAEC’s examinations could never be accessed illegally.

According to him, all of the culprits caught in the act may have been paid by the unsuspecting candidates and their parents, promising to assist them pass the examination.

“I want to counter this statement that some people are fond of making, which is that our examination questions always leak.

“That does not exist. Our examination is always safe and secured until they get to the candidates in the hall.”

He asserted that WAEC examination questions don’t ever leak and cautioned the media to stop using the word “leak”.

“What actually happens is that, once the examination is about to start, we give the question papers to the supervisors, one hour before commencement, so that they can travel from the collection point, to the various schools, where they will administer the examination.

“What happens?

“Immediately they get to the exam hall, they will open the pack in the name of distributing to candidates and they will snap and post to various designated platforms- WhatsApp, Instagram and others.

“Such persons are members of a syndicate group who collect money,’’ he said.

According to him, once the examination is already in progress, anyone that takes pictures of the papers and posts will be detected.

Areghan noted that the council had a method of detecting who snapped, who posted, who it was posted to and which candidate’s question booklet was posted.

According to him, that is when the council swings to action by rounding all of them up and subsequently handing them over to the police.

“You have been following me around for this monitoring

“You saw me telling these children that they will hardly have time to access any materials snapped and posted on any platforms because they are already in the hall writing the examination.

“From what we have seen so far today at the schools we visited, I will say that the examination has been going on smoothly. There has not been any challenge beyond our control.

“Of course you will come across persons who will want to prove smart by cutting corners and trying to get things done unethically, but we have been able to beat them to it.

“There are though, some that we do not bother ourselves with, as we will deal with such administratively.’’

He noted that only hard work was the way out to a stable and progressive country, adding that schools should continue to stick to academic excellence and nothing less, in order to sustain quality education.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that schools visited for the monitoring on Thursday included ST and T in Ikeja, Ikeja Senior High School as well as State Senior High School among others.

News

NYSC Commends Bauchi Govt On Infrastructural Development In Orientation Camp

Published

5 hours ago

July 1, 2025

Editor

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has commended Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state on his infrastructural development projects in NYSC permanent orientation camp in the state.

Mr Umoren Kufre, the NYSC Coordinator in the state made the commendation on Tuesday during the closing ceremony of the 2025 Batch ‘A’ stream II orientation course on Wailo, Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state.

According to him, the renovation of corps members’ hostels and camp officials’ blocks as well as the construction of a brand new multipurpose hall in the camp by the state government portrayed the governor as a good father of the youth.

“This kind gesture will remain very fresh in our minds for a long time to come. Once more, thank you, your Excellency.

“I also wish to thank the Bauchi state Government for providing the conducive environment and security for both Corps members and camp officials which contributed in no small measure in making this exercise a huge success

“Similarly, I appreciate all of our collaborating agencies that sent their personnel to assist us in the running of the camp. My staff, as usual, were at their very best to ensure a seamless exercise. May God bless and reward you all

“I wish to register our appreciation to the Wailo Community for being our good host and neighbours over the years, their efforts in meeting our needed casual labour demands eased much stress on the Corps members and officials

“In the same spirit, I sincerely like to commend the patriotism, loyalty, patience, perseverance, understanding, and the good conduct of Corps members during the orientation course,” he said.

Kufre enjoined the corps members to continue to be obedient, loyal and diligent, urging them to endeavour to settle down quickly in their places of primary assignment and adapt to the ways of life there.

He further called on them to do their best in obeying the rules governing their host communities, learn to appreciate their customs and culture and ensure that they leave the places better than they meet them.

“The people of Bauchi state, as you have been told many times, are hospitable people and the glaring proof as you can see are the buses sent by Local Government Councils to convey you to your places of primary assignment.

“I implore you to reciprocate this good gesture by contributing your best to the upliftment of your host communities and Bauchi State in general,” said the Coordinator.

1,300 corps members completed the orientation course and were posted to different parts of Bauchi state for the one year compulsory service.

News

Ghana Deports Convicted Nigerian For Smuggling Fake $100,000

Published

6 hours ago

July 1, 2025

Editor

A Nigerian, Aremu Adegboyega, convicted by a Circuit Court in Accra, Ghana, for smuggling counterfeit CFA francs worth over $100,000 into the country through an unauthorised border route will be deported to Nigeria, according to The PUNCH.

Justice Christiana Cann, who presided over the case ordered his immediate deportation by the Ghana Immigration Service.

According to ASP Isaac Anquandah, as cited by a Ghanaian news outlet, The Chronicle, on Monday, Adegboyega was arrested in 2023 by customs officers stationed at the Aflao border while he was travelling on a motorcycle.

The 55-year-old was charged with two counts of possessing forged notes, in violation of Section 18(2) of Ghana’s Currency Act, 1964 (Act 242), as well as one count of illegal entry into the country.

For possession of counterfeit CFA francs, the court fined the convict 250 penalty units, equivalent to GH¢3,000.

In default of payment, according to the report, he will serve a two-year prison sentence with hard labour.

For illegal entry into Ghana, he was reportedly fined an additional 120 penalty units or GH¢1,440. If he fails to pay, The Chronicle reports, he will serve another two-year prison term.

The sentences are expected to run concurrently, meaning he will serve a maximum of two years if he defaults on both payments.

The report added that, in addition to the fines and prison sentence, the court ordered his immediate deportation to Nigeria.

Adegboyega was apprehended at Beat Zero, an unauthorised crossing point along the Ghana-Togo border.

Riding as a pillion passenger on a motorcycle and carrying a backpack, according to the police, he aroused suspicion, prompting the officers to search his belongings.

During the search, officers discovered bundles of suspected counterfeit currency: CFA francs totalling CFA 80,653,000 and Nigerian naira amounting to N101,500.

Further investigation revealed that he had smuggled the fake currency into Ghana from Togo.

According to the police, he admitted in a caution statement that he was aware the money was counterfeit.

He also confessed to receiving the forged notes from a man identified as Alhaji Saibu in Nigeria, under the instruction of an alleged mafia figure named Alhaji Dials, believed to be based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Adegboyega joins another Nigerian, Abu Arome, who is currently standing trial alongside three Ghanaians for alleged fraud.

A statement issued on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, disclosed the suspects were accused of committing the crime using forged documents, falsified signatures, and fraudulent claims.

News

CAC Unveils AI-powered Portal For 30-minute Company Registrations

Published

10 hours ago

July 1, 2025

Editor

The Corporate Affairs Commission has launched a pilot Artificial Intelligence-powered registration portal to overhaul the current Company Registration Portal.

The Registrar-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, disclosed this at the 2025 Stakeholders’ Forum meeting.

A statement issued by the commission on Tuesday described the initiative as a game-changer aimed at significantly reducing registration timelines and enhancing the ease of doing business across the country.

According to Magaji, the new system allows for instant name reservation approvals, likening the process to opening an email account.

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“It is intelligently designed to suggest available alternatives and grant real-time approvals, removing the traditional bottlenecks,” he said.

One of the portal’s standout features is its ability to facilitate business registration using only the National Identification Number of a director or proprietor.

Magaji said that once real-time NIN verification is successful, a certificate of incorporation would be generated and delivered to the applicant’s email within 30 minutes.

He stated, “The target time for business registration is under 30 minutes to generate a certificate and deliver to the customer’s email, subject to real-time NIN verification.”

While acknowledging that some delays may still arise due to external validations from the National Identity Management Commission, he revealed that a contingency plan has been built into the platform, using AI-powered photo ID matching to overcome such hitches.

In addition, the Commission plans to introduce a two-factor authentication system with OTP verification for all transactions.

This, according to him, will ensure no changes can be made to company records without the explicit knowledge and consent of the registered directors.

Magaji further announced that a CAC mobile application would be launched in the final quarter of 2025 to allow users to track and manage transactions on the go.

Speaking on new partnerships, he disclosed that the Commission is currently reviewing over 100 requests from local and international super agents, including the Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System, aimed at deepening access and streamlining services.

Meanwhile, the Registrar-General also revealed that the Commission would commence a review of its service fees effective August 1, 2025, citing the need to maintain service quality and implement ongoing reforms.

The statement added that goodwill messages at the forum were delivered by the Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Port Harcourt Branch, Cordelia U. Eke; Chairman, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, Sir Sebastian Essien; and Chairman, Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, Elder Dogala Sakpege.

Also in attendance were Mechi Brown, Director of Industry at the Rivers State Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Miema Akpa, who represented the Chairman of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Port Harcourt branch.

A CAC technical team was present during the event to attend to customer complaints and provide on-the-spot solutions to registration challenges.