The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says use of email is no longer required for registration processes for Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE).

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said email addresses of applicants would be needed only at the successful completion of the registration to access information on the examination.

He said as from Thursday, April 15, 2021, candidates would no longer be required to provide any email address during registration, adding that they would have the options to access their profile during or after registration.

According to him, the new system is to ensure candidates’ details are not exposed to dubious cyber cafe operators and other criminal elements who in the course of UTME/DE registration steal email passwords to perpetrate fraud.

The JAMB registrar said an individual’s mobile phone now remains the only major tool to carry out all the registration processes.

He said the options include “mobile APP on the candidates’ phone, on the 55019 option (being designed) for example admission status checking, acceptance of admission etc on their profile.”

The registrar added, “Printing of examination slip (notification) or result notification slip or ticketing can be done anywhere using the candidates JAMB registration number only.

“At the conclusion of the 2021 UTME/DE registration exercise, candidates will provide their email addresses only after the 2021 UTME/DE registration exercise has been declared closed by JAMB through (a) mobile APP on his/her registered phone.

“Sending the word email (space then the email address) on his /her registered phone to 55019.

“The email is typed twice for correctness (email addresses will be entered twice for validation and prevention of typographical errors.”

Oloyede said the board had phased out the use of cash for any transactions in the computer-based test (CBT) centres owned by JAMB, saying only the use of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards is now allowed.

He said the move was to frustrate the antics of touts who hang around JAMB CBT centres, as well as prevent illegal charges, noting that candidates that were only keen in using cash could visit privately-owned centres for their registration and other activities.

Earlier, a final year student of the University of Abuja (UNIAbuja), Adegoke Justina, told newsmen how she was lured to hand over her email details to a cyber cafe worker, who posed as an employee of JAMB.

Adegoke had visited JAMB CBT centre in Kogo-Bwari area of Abuja to rectify issues with her admission when she was accosted by the young man, who promised to help do necessary applications, only for him to be issuing threats and demanding money days later after taking over the student’s email address.

Moses Peter, the cyber cafe operator, nabbed by police over the incident, however, identified the perpetrator of the crime as one David Ahmad, a student of Auchi Polytechnic, who sometimes works in the cafe.