Teenage Girl Sues JAMB Over Hijab Removal During UTME

A teenage girl, Lawal Hameedat Adenike, has filed a lawsuit against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the PEFTI CBT Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State, for allegedly forcing her to remove her hijab before taking the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The suit was initiated by her mother and legal representative, Basirat Ojo, who recounted the incident that occurred on April 25, 2025, at the PEFTI CBT Centre. 

According to Ojo, her daughter was denied entry to the examination hall unless she removed her hijab, which she wears as part of her religious obligations. 

Ojo described the experience as humiliating and distressing for her daughter, leading her to seek legal redress for the violation of her rights.

The lawsuit seeks a public apology from both JAMB and PEFTI, to be published in two national newspapers. 

Additionally, it demands compensation for the rights violation and a court declaration that any policy compelling female candidates to remove their hijabs is unconstitutional.

Lawal’s lawyer, Qousim Opakunle, emphasized that the case is grounded in constitutional rights, specifically citing Section 38 of the Nigerian Constitution, which protects freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.