A teenage girl, Lawal Hameedat Adenike, has filed a suit against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and PEFTI for allegedly compelling her to remove her hijab before taking the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The incident took place on April 25, 2025, at the PEFTI CBT Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The suit filed on behalf of the girl by her mother and legal representative, Basirat Ojo, is seeking a public apology from both JAMB and PEFTI, to be published in two national newspapers.
It equally demands compensation for the rights violation and a court declaration that any policy compelling female candidates to remove their hijabs is unconstitutional.
“My daughter was denied the chance to sit for the exam unless she took off her hijab, which she wears as part of her religious obligations. It was humiliating and distressing for her. I couldn’t ignore such a violation of her rights,” Lawal’s mother stated.
Lawal’s lawyer, Qousim Opakunle, remarked that the case is grounded in constitutional rights.
He observed that the directive breaches Section 38 of the Nigerian Constitution, which protects freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.
