Emmanuel Praise Akataka, a suspect arrested by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for allegedly defrauding Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates, has confessed to collecting over N1.5m from 131 students.
Akataka was earlier arrested in connection with registration fraud, impersonation, identity theft, online fraud, and other related offences targeted at UTME candidates. However, he returned to his crime after being granted bail.
The suspect claimed he resorted to the scam due to poverty and his mother's severe illness. He stated that after being granted bail, he went back to scamming to assist his mother with her hospital fees.
Akataka initially focused on legitimate work but turned to scamming due to financial struggles. He claimed to have come from a poor background and had no means of help. He opened a WhatsApp group and created a bonafide form, promising candidates they would receive the form after payment.
The candidates would fill the form, reprint it, and send it back to him, believing they had secured assistance with their UTME results. Akataka expressed remorse and asked for forgiveness, promising not to go back to his act.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, explained that Akataka had previously been apprehended for his role in a network engaged in criminal conspiracy, impersonation, identity theft, online fraud, and other related offences targeted at UTME candidates.
The brazen act of Emmanuel Praise Akataka, who defrauded 131 UTME candidates of over N1.5m, highlights the desperation and vulnerability of many Nigerians. His claim of turning to scamming due to poverty and his mother's illness underscores the need for more effective social safety nets and support systems. The fact that Akataka was granted bail and returned to his crime raises questions about the effectiveness of the bail system. The JAMB Registrar's statement that the affected candidates were given a fair hearing and had their registrations cancelled is a welcome development. However, it is crucial that the authorities take concrete steps to prevent such scams from happening in the future.
