A teenage candidate, Lawal Hameedat Adenike, has taken legal action against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and PEFTI, alleging she was forced to remove her hijab before being allowed to sit for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
The lawsuit, filed by her mother and legal guardian, Basirat Ojo, is centered on an incident that occurred on April 25, 2025, at the PEFTI Computer-Based Test Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Ojo, while addressing the press in Abuja, recounted the ordeal her daughter experienced on exam day.
“My daughter was denied the chance to sit for the exam unless she took off her hijab, which she wears as part of her religious obligations. It was humiliating and distressing for her. I couldn’t ignore such a violation of her rights,” she said.
The legal action is requesting the court to mandate a public apology from JAMB and PEFTI, to be published in two widely read national newspapers.
Additionally, the suit seeks financial compensation for the alleged infringement and a judicial declaration that any policy mandating the removal of hijabs by female candidates is unconstitutional.
Representing the teenager, lawyer Qousim Opakunle emphasized that the matter concerns fundamental human rights.
“This directive breaches Section 38 of the Nigerian Constitution, which protects freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. We have a responsibility to uphold these rights, especially for minors who are often unable to defend themselves,” he said.
