Enugu — THE National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said 12 candidates in the Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Matriculating Examination were arrested in Enugu State for alleged examination malpractice.The State Commandant of NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu, said this while monitoring the examination in three centres located at the Federal Government College (FGC), Enugu.

He listed the suspects' offences as impersonation, carrying of extraneous materials and abuse of rules and regulations guiding the examination. Agu said that the suspects would be charged to court after investigation had been concluded.

"We are monitoring the 34 centres with 540 candidates each in the state. I believe that more suspects will be caught, especially from the hinterland areas," he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

"I am impressed by the level of commitment shown by the officers and men of the corps and the success recorded in checking examination malpractice," he said.

Agu said that NSCDC was in the vanguard of making sure that examination malpractice was "stamped out of the nation's academic environment".

He commended the members of staff of FGC Enugu, for their dedication to service, saying that "this school has shown that it is the flagship of secondary education in the south-east."

The Acting Principal of the school, Mr. Mike Mmesirionye, commended the NSCDC for providing adequate security in examination centres.

Mmesirionye, who is also the Vice Principal Special Duties, said that the examination was conducted in a very conducive atmosphere and malpractice was "near zero level".