The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has announced its top seven best candidates in the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME.

The exam body said this became necessary as a means of making data for research, reportage and other national disposition available.

JAMB’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dr Fabian Benjamin, in a statement yesterday announced Galadima Zakari, a candidate who sat for the exam in Ogun State, as the best with a score of 364.

Earlier, reports had it that Ape Moses, a candidate from Benue State had the highest score of 354 in the 2018 UTME.

On Tuesday, June 29, 2018, a popular national newspaper (not DAILY POST) reported that Ape Moses, a student of New Covenant Christian College International, Makurdi, Benue State, was the best candidate in the just concluded UTME with a total score of 354.

Clarifying this, JAMB said Moses’ score in the exam is the highest among candidates from Benue State and the entire North-central Nigeria, while Zakari is the overall best.

The top four candidates are: Galadima Zakari with 364, Adekunle Jesufemi from Ogun State who sat for his examination in Abeokuta with 358, Alikah Oseghale from Edo State who sat for the examination in Ekpoma and scored 357, and Ademola Adetola from Ogun State who sat for the examination in Lagos and scored 355.

The Board spokesman also said Akinyemi Paul from Ogun State, Ape Moses from Benue State, and Obi-Obuoha Abiamamela from River State all came fifth with a tie score of 354 to complete the top seven.

He, however, advised individuals and organizations who want to use JAMB’s data for research purposes to always contact the exam body for up to date information.

“Our doors are always open to any request especially when the nation would be the ultimate beneficiary.

“The Board appeals to all interested individuals and organisations who want to use its data for research, reportage and other national necessary disposition to always contact it for accurate and up to date information so as not to misdirect the public into taking wrong and misleading conclusions,” he said.

Lumidys Blog notes that other purported highest scorers in 2018 UTME have been peddled on social media.

Recall that on Thursday, March 15, Aliyu Muhammad Sani Kaugama, a young boy from Jigawa state who scored 311, was celebrated on Facebook for purportedly emerging as the best candidate in the 2018 UTME.

A week after, another candidate, Ibukun Oduntan, reportedly emerged as the ‘best candidate’ in the just concluded 2018 UTME with 344 scores.