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Hijab Controversy: MURIC Demands Suspension of Law School Exams, Threatens Peaceful Protests

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called for the immediate suspension of examinations at the Nigerian Law School following allegations that female Muslim students wearing hijabs were harassed, intimidated and prevented from entering examination halls at some campuses across the country.

The Islamic human rights organisation also demanded an investigation into the alleged incidents, insisting that candidates who were delayed or prevented from taking their examinations because of their religious attire should be allowed to rewrite them.

MURIC made the demands in a statement issued on Sunday, November 1, 2026, by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

According to the organisation, several female Muslim candidates wearing hijabs were allegedly denied entry into examination halls on Saturday, October 31, while preparing to sit for their final examinations ahead of the Call to the Bar.

Akintola alleged that some of the affected candidates were made to remain outside examination venues for about an hour and were only allowed to enter after removing their hijabs.

He said the organisation received numerous telephone calls, text messages and other complaints from distressed candidates, their parents and concerned Muslims across the country during the incident.

MURIC described the alleged treatment of the candidates as discriminatory and a violation of their fundamental rights, arguing that no student should be subjected to intimidation or humiliation because of her religious beliefs.

The organisation specifically questioned the involvement of the Nigerian Law School, an institution responsible for professional legal training, in what it described as the disregard for constitutional provisions and judicial pronouncements protecting religious freedom.

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It cited Sections 38(1) and 38(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which guarantee freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the right to manifest and practise one’s religion.

The group also referenced the Supreme Court judgment in Lagos State Government & Others v. Asiyat AbdulKareem (2022), which affirmed the right of female Muslim students to wear hijab in public schools in Lagos State.

MURIC further argued that the alleged treatment of the candidates violated Section 42 of the Constitution, which prohibits discrimination, as well as Section 34(1)(a), which guarantees respect for the dignity of the human person and prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading treatment.

Consequently, the organisation demanded the suspension of all Law School examinations pending an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the reported incidents.

It also called for disciplinary or other appropriate action against anyone found responsible for the alleged harassment, intimidation, religious profiling and discrimination against the candidates.

The organisation particularly demanded that candidates who were affected by the controversy be given another opportunity to sit for their examinations.

Akintola said the demand should cover candidates who were delayed outside examination halls for as little as 15 minutes, noting that some allegedly spent up to one hour outside before eventually removing their hijabs to gain admission.

Beyond the demands for an investigation and rescheduling of examinations, MURIC announced plans for peaceful protests across Nigerian Law School campuses if its demands were not addressed.

The proposed demonstrations, according to the organisation, would involve parents of the affected students, Muslim youths and other stakeholders within the Muslim community.

However, MURIC stressed that the protests would be conducted peacefully, in line with its motto, ‘Dialogue, Not Violence’.

The organisation also urged Muslim parents and community leaders to take a more active role in defending the rights of their children and wards, arguing that parents should not only provide educational opportunities but also monitor their children’s welfare and protect their constitutional rights.

Akintola expressed disappointment with what he described as the silence of some Muslim elders and parents over issues affecting the religious rights of Muslim students.

He urged Muslim youths to become more involved in peaceful advocacy for civil liberties, saying that continued silence could encourage further incidents of discrimination.

Quoting the late American civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr., MURIC said freedom was rarely granted voluntarily by those in positions of power but had to be demanded by those whose rights were being denied.

The organisation, however, cautioned its supporters against violence, insisting that any campaign arising from the controversy must remain within the bounds of peaceful engagement and lawful protest.

The controversy has raised fresh questions about the accommodation of religious practices within professional educational institutions and the enforcement of constitutional protections for religious freedom in Nigeria.

MURIC’s demands now place pressure on the Nigerian Law School authorities to clarify the circumstances surrounding the reported incidents and explain the policies governing the wearing of religious attire during professional examinations.

As of the time of this report, the Nigerian Law School’s response to the allegations and demands was not contained in MURIC’s statement.

Hijab Controversy: MURIC Demands Suspension of Law School Exams, Threatens Peaceful Protests

Fire Guts Lagos Workshop, Destroys 21 Exotic Cars, Sparks Fears Over Petrol Station

A fire outbreak at a mechanical workshop in the Isheri-Idimu area of Lagos State has left 21 exotic vehicles destroyed, raising fresh concerns about fire safety in automobile workshops operating close to petrol stations and residential buildings.

The inferno, which broke out at about 3.05am on Friday, October 30, along Oladunni Street, beside Eternal Filling Station in the Alimosho Local Government Area, engulfed a workshop where several high-value vehicles were reportedly parked.

The situation triggered fears among residents and business operators in the neighbourhood as the flames threatened to spread to the adjoining filling station, raising the possibility of a much bigger disaster.

However, the timely intervention of emergency responders prevented the fire from reaching the petrol station and nearby buildings, although a section of a neighbouring building sustained minor damage.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed that about 21 exotic vehicles were affected in the incident, while assuring residents that no lives were lost and no injuries were recorded.

In a statement, the agency’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said its Dolphin Response Team, stationed at Igando, was immediately activated following a distress call.

He explained that the team arrived at the scene and discovered that the workshop had been engulfed by fire, with several luxury vehicles parked within the premises.

The emergency operation involved personnel of LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps and the Nigeria Police Force.

According to Oke-Osanyintolu, the coordinated intervention of the agencies helped contain the fire and prevented it from spreading to the nearby filling station and surrounding structures.

He said the fire had been completely extinguished and damping-down operations concluded, adding that preliminary assessment indicated that 21 exotic vehicles were affected.

The LASEMA boss commended the emergency responders for their swift intervention, which he said prevented what could have developed into a major disaster.

Questions over fire service response

Meanwhile, developments surrounding the incident have generated concerns beyond the immediate destruction of the vehicles, particularly over the circumstances surrounding the emergency response.

A report by TELL Magazine, published on Saturday, cited allegations by some witnesses that the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service initially arrived at the scene with an empty water tank.

The allegation, which has not been independently verified, raises questions about the adequacy of emergency firefighting preparedness, particularly in densely populated areas where workshops, commercial facilities and fuel stations operate in close proximity.

However, no official response from the fire service addressing the allegation was available at the time of filing this report.

There have also been reports of suspicions among some residents and affected customers about the possible cause of the fire, including suggestions of arson. However, no evidence has been established to substantiate these claims, and the cause of the outbreak remains undetermined.

The full extent of the damage to the affected vehicles, their individual owners and the financial implications of the incident have also not been officially established.

Fresh concerns over workshop safety

The incident has once again drawn attention to fire safety challenges in Nigeria’s automobile servicing and repair industry, particularly workshops where expensive vehicles are kept alongside fuel, lubricants, solvents, electrical equipment and other potentially combustible materials.

Automobile workshops routinely handle inflammable substances, including petrol, diesel, engine oil, transmission fluids and cleaning chemicals. Electrical faults, welding activities, poor storage practices and inadequate firefighting equipment can also increase the risk of fire outbreaks.

The danger becomes more pronounced when such facilities operate close to petrol stations and residential buildings, where an uncontrolled fire could quickly escalate into a major emergency.

Industry stakeholders have consistently stressed the importance of proper workshop layout, electrical maintenance, safe storage of combustible materials, functional fire extinguishers and adequate access for emergency vehicles.

The Isheri-Idimu incident also highlights the vulnerability of customers’ vehicles left in the custody of automobile workshops for repairs, servicing and maintenance, with questions likely to arise over insurance coverage and compensation for damaged property.

While LASEMA urged residents, particularly mechanical workshop operators, to observe safety precautions when handling inflammable materials, the incident underscores the need for stronger enforcement of fire safety standards and periodic inspections of high-risk business premises.

The agency also advised members of the public to report emergencies promptly through Lagos State’s toll-free emergency numbers, 767 and 112.

Although the swift intervention of emergency responders prevented the flames from reaching Eternal Filling Station, the destruction involving 21 exotic vehicles serves as another reminder of the potentially devastating consequences of fire outbreaks in commercial and residential neighbourhoods.

For the affected vehicle owners and customers, attention will now turn to establishing the cause of the fire, determining the extent of their losses and addressing the question of compensation.