Fleece unsuspecting candidates

‘No to miracle centres in Ekiti’

From Wole Balogun, Ado-Ekiti

SUSPECTED fraudsters masquerading as accredited agents of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) have invaded Ekiti, fleecing unsuspecting candidates. While JAMB had yet to officially commence the sale of registration forms for the 2017 session, some young men who operate coaching centres and cyber cafes have taken advantage of the delay to defraud unsuspecting candidates.

Investigations revealed that the suspected fraudsters have since September 2016, began registering unsuspecting candidates who approach them for special coaching and online registration for the tertiary institution examination.

However, the suspected fraudsters met their Waterloo recently when officials of the Nigerian Civil and Security Defense Corps (NCSDC) rounded up some of them during a raid of some cyber cafes.

Miss Faleye Tofunmi Esther and Adeyanju Samuel were two out of the many youngsters who fell to the tricks of the suspects.

Faleye said she paid N7,000 to a coaching centre in Ado-Ekiti, whose proprietor was arrested by the security agency.

Adeyanju also confessed to paying the same amount for JAMB registration but when asked if she had been issued E-Slip, she couldn’t reply in the affirmative.

Meanwhile, other suspects, Fagade Tope, 29, Ologunja Muyideen, 19 and Duduyemi Patrick, 35, arrested in connection with the fraudulent practice, pleaded for mercy when they were paraded at the premises of the state’s command of the NCSDC recently. They blamed lack of employment for their action.

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They created a mild drama as they prostrated to the officials of JAMB who had visited from Abuja and the Ekiti State Commandant, NCSDC, Mr. Donatus Ikemefuna to temper justice with mercy and release them, with a promise to turn over a new leaf.

But Akindun, one of the suspects denied allegations of illegally registering the students for JaMB.

“We are education consultants coaching people. I’m not collecting money for registration. The form is just a template to which everyone has access. Filling of jamb forms is done online,” he argued

However, the NCSDC boss frowned at the rate young men use internet to defraud.

He opined that computer skills should be used for the improvement of educational standard and promotion of legal online businesses rather than used to put tears on the faces of the people.

“For us to have been asked by JAMB to provide security and supervise their examinations shows that we are doing well. Recently, we have been having a running battle with these people who want to reap where they have not sown. Miracle centres for exams would not have a foothold in the state, those who make things difficult for us and  print JAMB forms and letter-headed papers to defraud candidates who are serious to get admissions would be wiped out.

“The forms we recovered from the suspects showed that some paid as much as N46, 000 as registration fee for JAMB. Some laptops were recovered from the cyber cafes, if a computer guru hacked into them, he will get details of their transactions.

“Our Act empowers us to prosecute if JAMB wants it. The perpetrators of this crime are advised  to go to other states as this state will be too hot for them.  Parents should  beware of the nefarious cyber cafes in town where such unwholesome practices thrive,” he said.

The Director of Special Duties, JAMB, Mr. Olujide Adisa and the Head of Information, Dr. Fabian Benjamin were at the NCSDC command in the state to examine the suspects.