Chinedu Okeke: 5 Things JAMB Found Out About UTME 2025 Top Scorer Amid Suspicion of Foul Play
- JAMB uncovered that Chinedu Okeke, the 2025 UTME top scorer, is actually from Lagos State, not Anambra as widely claimed
- Okeke, already a 400-level medical student at UNN, sat for the 2025 UTME seeking to switch to Mechanical Engineering
- The board accused him of manipulating records and abusing state quota which affects the integrity of the system
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has moved to clear the air over swirling controversies surrounding Chinedu Okeke, the candidate who recently topped the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In an official statement released by the board, JAMB described the social media storm around Okeke as rooted more in sentiment than in evidence, accusing some commentators of defending wrongdoing instead of demanding accountability.
Source: Facebook
JAMB insisted that its findings, based strictly on verified records, point to troubling inconsistencies in Okeke’s history, raising doubts about his conduct and intentions.
Here are five key revelations from the board’s investigation that challenge the viral narrative celebrating Okeke’s UTME feat:
1. Okeke’s state of origin was misrepresented
Contrary to widely shared claims that Okeke hails from Anambra State, JAMB confirmed through official documents that he is from Amuwo-Odofin Local Government in Lagos State.
This information, the board said, came directly from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) data used during Okeke’s 2021 UTME registration, and has not been disputed by his current institution.
2. He previously sat for UTME in 2021 and secured admission to UNN
JAMB further revealed that Okeke had already written the UTME in 2021, using his Lagos State details, and gained admission into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), to study Medicine and Surgery.
As things stand, he is now in his fourth year of that programme, and the university’s student records have not contradicted this timeline.
3. Okeke wrote the 2025 UTME while still enrolled in UNN
What raised eyebrows further, according to the Board, was Okeke’s decision to write the 2025 UTME, seeking to switch to Mechanical Engineering, despite being an active 400-level medical student.
JAMB questioned why a candidate deeply invested in medical training would suddenly pivot to an unrelated field, and why his personal details, which ought to be stable over time, showed changes between the two sittings.
Source: Twitter
4. Evidence of record manipulation before the latest UTME
The Board disclosed that Okeke’s personal data, submitted for the 2025 UTME, did not match entirely with what he used in 2021.
“The evidence suggests that Chinedu altered his records as filled in 2021 prior to registering for the 2025 UTME, a fact confirmed by even his own advocates,” JAMB stated.
The Board rejected claims that it retrieved incorrect data from NIMC, insisting instead that its responsibility is only to use what candidates provide.
5. Alleged abuse of state quota and manipulation
Perhaps the most serious allegation is that Okeke benefited from Lagos State’s quota in 2021 to secure his UNN admission, potentially blocking other qualified candidates from that advantage.
In 2025, he reportedly tried to switch identity to claim Anambra State origin, thereby seeking to benefit again from a different state quota.
JAMB noted that this undermines fairness in the admission process and is inconsistent with national policy.
JAMB condemns online critics
Beyond these findings, JAMB criticised the approach of some online commentators and self-appointed defenders who, according to the Board, chose emotional arguments over documented facts.
It described attempts to frame the matter as persecution rather than accountability, and said it would not be intimidated into overlooking violations.
The Board maintained it had consulted relevant institutions, including NIMC and Okeke’s university, and stressed that it would continue to handle the case based on verified evidence.
“We are not engaged in witch-hunting; rather, we refuse to allow candidates who aspire to leadership roles act in ways that are unbecoming,” the statement read.
JAMB candidates who would be barred
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that JAMB stressed that candidates whose biometric verification is unsuccessful on the examination day would not be permitted to sit the UTME or its mock version.
JAMB noted that no parent or proxy is allowed to make any transaction on candidates' profiles or interfere with the registration "to avoid alterations and data mismatch".
Source: Legit.ng
