ICYMI: Court orders JAMB, CBT centre to pay ₦10m over forced removal of candidate’s hijab during UTME

ICYMI: Court orders JAMB, CBT centre to pay ₦10m over forced removal of candidate’s hijab during UTME

An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has ordered the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and PEFTI CBT Centre to jointly pay ₦10 million in damages to Miss Lawal Hameedat Adenike Olamide after ruling that her fundamental rights were violated when she was allegedly forced to remove her hijab before sitting the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Justice Y. S. Adekunle, in a judgment delivered last week, also declared unconstitutional, illegal, null and void any rule or directive requiring female candidates to remove hijabs worn for religious purposes as a condition for taking the UTME.

A Certified True Copy of the judgment was obtained on Thursday.

The suit was instituted by the candidate, who was a minor at the time of the incident, through her mother, Mrs Basirat Ojo Oba.

The case arose from an incident that occurred during the April 25, 2025 UTME at the PEFTI CBT Centre, located at 32 Oyo Road, Coca-Cola Area, Sango, Ibadan.

PEFTI CBT Centre is listed among JAMB-approved CBT centres in Oyo State. The centre has also appeared in JAMB’s official records relating to CBT operations in the state.

The claimant, through her counsel, Qousim A. Opakunle, argued that compelling her to remove her hijab before allowing her to sit the examination violated her constitutional right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

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The suit relied on Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which guarantees every person the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the freedom to manifest and practise religious beliefs.

The claimant asked the court to declare unconstitutional any alleged policy requiring female UTME candidates to remove religious head coverings before entering an examination hall.

She also sought written apologies from JAMB and the CBT centre, publication of the apologies in two national newspapers and monetary compensation for the alleged violation of her fundamental rights.

In his judgment, Justice Adekunle held that the action of requiring the candidate to remove her hijab before she could sit the UTME amounted to a violation of her constitutionally protected rights.

The court ruled that any policy, rule or directive introduced by JAMB or a CBT centre that compels female candidates to remove hijabs worn for religious purposes is inconsistent with the Constitution and is therefore invalid.

The court subsequently awarded ₦10 million in damages against JAMB and PEFTI CBT Centre jointly.

Justice Adekunle also ordered the defendants to pay ₦500,000 as the cost of the suit, bringing the total financial award to ₦10.5 million.

In addition, JAMB and PEFTI CBT Centre were directed to independently write letters of apology to the claimant and publish the apologies in two national daily newspapers within seven days of the judgment.

The ruling has drawn attention to the need for examination authorities and accredited CBT centres to ensure that security and examination procedures are implemented in a manner that respects candidates’ constitutional rights.

While examination bodies are expected to maintain strict standards to protect the integrity of public examinations, the judgment underscores the importance of applying such measures without imposing restrictions that are inconsistent with constitutional protections.

The decision may also strengthen calls for clearer and more uniform guidelines for CBT centres across Nigeria, particularly on the treatment of candidates who wear religious clothing.

Reacting to the judgment, Opakunle described the ruling as a significant victory for the protection of fundamental human rights.

He said the case was founded on Section 38 of the Constitution and reaffirmed the responsibility of public institutions and service providers to respect the religious rights of citizens.

The lawyer added that the judgment was particularly important because the claimant was a minor and required legal representation to challenge the alleged violation.

The ruling adds to ongoing public and legal discussions about the balance between religious freedom, institutional regulations and the rights of students and examination candidates in Nigeria.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no publicly available response from JAMB or PEFTI CBT Centre on the judgment.

ICYMI: Court orders JAMB, CBT centre to pay ₦10m over forced removal of candidate’s hijab during UTME