The Nigeria Police Force will deploy additional security personnel at all Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examination centres nationwide for the 2026 tests starting on 16 April. Force spokesperson DCP Anthony Placid announced the measure on Tuesday, describing it as a response to "unfounded rumours" about the safety of certain centres in a North Central state.
Extra officers will patrol centres, conduct perimeter checks and maintain rapid-response teams at strategic points, working alongside other security agencies. Candidates have been urged to arrive early, obey examination rules and report any suspicious activity to on-site personnel. The police advised the public to ignore unverified social-media claims and rely only on official updates from JAMB and the Force.
For the 1.9 million candidates expected to sit the 2026 UTME, the visible police presence means stricter entry checks and longer queues, so budgeting an extra hour on exam morning is no longer optional. Parents who accompany wards should factor this into travel plans, especially in city centres where traffic build-up around venues is common.
The heightened security reflects how quickly panic spreads once social media tags a school as unsafe; similar rumours in 2023 kept thousands of Benue and Plateau candidates away from centres, forcing JAMB to organise costly makeup sessions. By moving early, the police hope to avoid a repeat that could distort admission timelines and push more students into the next JAMB cycle.
Students should print their slips now, confirm the exact gate designated for entry, and save the official JAMB helpline 08123658970 on their phones before switching them off at the centre.
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