KEY POINTS

• WAEC apologized after students in Taraba wrote a WASSCE paper at 10pm due to delayed delivery caused by a vehicle breakdown and anti-leak security concerns.

• The incident sparked national outrage over student welfare, exam integrity, and WAEC’s logistics capacity.

• WAEC pledged to strengthen its systems and prevent recurrence, while education advocates call for accountability and potential re-examination.

The West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has issued a formal apology after widespread condemnation followed reports that some Nigerian students were forced to write their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) papers as late as 10pm under poor lighting conditions.

AAN TV reports that the incident occurred in Taraba State on May 28, 2025, when students at a secondary school were seen writing their scheduled papers in near-complete darkness, illuminated only by flashlights and mobile phone torches.

The images and videos circulated rapidly on social media, igniting a public outcry about student safety, academic integrity, and WAEC’s operational competence.

Amos Dangut, WAEC’s Head of National Office in Nigeria, confirmed the situation in a statement, attributing the disruption to a mix of logistical failures and urgent anti-exam malpractice interventions.

“We received intelligence that the paper in question was at risk of being compromised,” said Dangut. “In a bid to safeguard the integrity of the examination, we had to reroute our processes and secure the papers, but unfortunately, this collided with transport issues including a vehicle breakdown en route to Taraba.”

The vehicle carrying examination materials reportedly broke down in a remote area, delaying delivery for several hours. With limited options and no backup transportation available, WAEC opted to proceed with administering the examination late into the night once materials finally arrived.

This decision has sparked serious concerns among parents and education advocates, who criticized the council for poor contingency planning.
“No student should be made to write an exam in such conditions, especially not at night in an insecure region,” said Aisha Umar, an education rights campaigner in Abuja. “This undermines not only the fairness of the process but also the safety and mental health of the candidates.”

Backlash from parents, several candidates to WAEC emerge online

In addition to the backlash from parents, several candidates expressed frustration online, stating that the late-night testing impacted their performance.
“We had been waiting all day. By 10pm, we were exhausted and hungry. How does WAEC expect us to write well under those conditions?” wrote one student on X (formerly Twitter).

WAEC has since pledged to reinforce its logistics and communication strategies to prevent a recurrence. The council stated that investigations into the intelligence about the suspected leak are ongoing, and it promised transparency in its findings.

WAEC also noted that exemptions for emergencies and alternative testing days remain in place, but that this particular case required swift action to avoid wider systemic leakage.
“We regret the circumstances and are committed to doing better. Measures have been put in place to ensure this is never repeated,” Dangut added.

As calls mount for WAEC to issue compensation or allow a re-sit for affected students, the Federal Ministry of Education has yet to make a formal comment on the matter. Meanwhile, education watchdogs are demanding an independent audit of WAEC’s logistics management and security protocols.