WAEC Debunks Viral List of 50 Schools, Says Withheld Results Letter Is Fake
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has warned students, parents, teachers and school authorities to disregard a viral document claiming that the examination body withheld the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results of candidates from 50 Secondary Schools across Nigeria.
WAEC described the circulating document as fake, stressing that the letter did not originate from the examination body.
The clarification came on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, shortly after WAEC announced the release of the results of the 2026 Computer-Based WASSCE for school candidates.
In a warning posted on its official X account, the examination council urged members of the public not to rely on the document being circulated on social media.
“FAKE NEWS ALERT: Please disregard the message below. It did not originate from WAEC,” the Council stated.
Global Mirror News learnt that the fake letter, dated August 2, 2026, was purportedly addressed to heads of Public and Private Secondary Schools across the Country.
It claimed that candidates from 50 schools had their results withheld over alleged examination malpractice and instructed the affected schools to submit detailed reports on the alleged infractions within 14 days.
The document further threatened that failure to comply could result in additional sanctions.
Some schools in different parts of the country, including Lagos and Abuja, were reportedly listed in the forged document, potentially creating confusion and anxiety among students, parents and school administrators.
Adding to the appearance of authenticity, the document was allegedly signed in the name of the Head of the WAEC Nigeria National Office, Dr Amos Dangut, and carried what appeared to be WAEC’s official letterhead and stamps.
However, WAEC subsequently exposed the document as a forgery by circulating an image of it marked prominently with the word “FAKE.”
WAEC actually withheld thousands of results
While the viral list of 50 schools is false, WAEC confirmed that it did withhold the results of 167,486 candidates who sat for the 2026 WASSCE.
The figure represents 8.59 per cent of the 1,950,726 candidates who took the examination.
According to the council, the withheld results are connected to suspected examination malpractice and other examination-related infractions.
Among the offences identified were the use of mobile phones in examination halls despite the existing prohibition, as well as organised cheating in some schools.
WAEC also disclosed that some supervisors and invigilators allegedly found to have assisted or facilitated examination malpractice had been arrested. The council said such individuals would face disciplinary proceedings through the relevant state Ministries of education.
The development means that there is a clear difference between the genuine withholding of 167,486 candidates’ results and the false claim that WAEC released a list of 50 schools whose results were withheld.
Students, parents urged to rely on official information
The latest incident has again highlighted the danger of unverified information circulating on social media, particularly at a period when thousands of students and their families are anxiously waiting to know their academic fate.
Students whose results are genuinely affected by WAEC’s withholding process are advised to follow the official procedures and await further communication from the examination council rather than relying on unofficial lists shared online.
The public is also advised to verify sensitive information concerning examination results, malpractice investigations, school sanctions and other WAEC decisions through the council’s recognised communication channels.
The clarification is particularly important because the release of the 2026 WASSCE results has already generated significant public interest, with candidates checking their results and preparing for their next academic steps.
WAEC’s warning therefore serves as a reminder that not every document carrying an official-looking letterhead, signature or stamp circulating on social media is genuine.
For students and parents, the key message from the examination body is simple: the purported list of 50 schools is fake and should be disregarded.
Global Mirror News gathered that WAEC has nevertheless withheld 167,486 results over suspected examination malpractice, with the council continuing to address cases involving alleged examination infractions.
