A Nigerian teenager, Lawal Hameedat Adenike, has filed a lawsuit against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and PEFTI Film Institute, alleging that she was forced to remove her hijab before sitting for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The legal action, initiated by her mother and legal counsel, follows an incident on April 25 at the PEFTI CBT Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State, where Lawal was reportedly denied access to the exam hall unless she uncovered her head.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, her mother, Basirat Ojo, recounted the traumatic ordeal: “My daughter was told she could not write the exam unless she removed her hijab, which she wears for religious reasons. This was a painful and humiliating experience. As her mother, I had to take action to protect her rights.”
The lawsuit seeks a court declaration that any rule or directive compelling female candidates to remove hijabs is unconstitutional. It also demands a public apology from both JAMB and PEFTI, to be published in two national newspapers, and financial compensation for the alleged violation of the girl’s constitutional rights.
“This incident violates Section 38 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. We are committed to defending these rights, especially for minors who may not be able to defend themselves.”
The matter is expected to spark wider debate on the balance between examination security protocols and the protection of religious freedoms in Nigeria’s education sector.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment