A teenage girl, Lawal Hameedat Adenike, has filed a lawsuit against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the PEFTI Computer-Based Test Centre, alleging that she was compelled to remove her hijab before sitting for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The suit, filed through her mother and legal representative, challenges the alleged violation of her religious rights during the exam held on April 25, 2025, at the PEFTI CBT Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the girl’s mother, Basirat Ojo, described the incident as distressing and degrading.
“My daughter was told she could not write the exam unless she removed her hijab, which she wears for religious reasons. It was a painful experience for her and unacceptable to us as a family,” she said.
The legal team is seeking a public apology from both JAMB and PEFTI, to be published in two national newspapers, as well as financial compensation.
The suit also asks the court to declare that any policy requiring female candidates to remove their hijabs is unconstitutional.
Lawal’s lawyer, Qousim Opakunle, stated that the action violates Section 38 of the Nigerian which guarantees freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.
“This case is about upholding the fundamental rights of citizens, particularly minors who may not have the capacity to assert those rights on their own,” he said.
The case has sparked discussions around religious freedom and examination protocols in Nigeria.