Muslim Teen Sues JAMB, PEFTI for Forcing Hijab Removal During UTME, Demands Apology, Compensation

By Tgnews

Miss Lawal Hameedat Adenike Olamide, a minor, has filed a lawsuit against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and PEFTI CBT Center, alleging that she was forced to remove her hijab to participate in the 2025 University Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) on April 25.

The incident occurred at PEFTI’s CBT Center located at 32 Oyo Road, Coca-Cola Area, Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Represented by her mother, Mrs. Basirat Ojo Oba, due to her minor status, Miss Lawal, through her counsel Qousim A. Opakunle, Esq., claims that JAMB and PEFTI violated her fundamental human rights to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion as guaranteed under Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended).

The lawsuit argues that any rule requiring female candidates to remove their hijab for religious purposes as a precondition for the UTME is illegal, null, and void.

Miss Lawal is seeking a court order mandating JAMB and PEFTI to issue written apologies for the violation of her rights and to publish these apologies in two national daily newspapers. Additionally, she demands financial compensation from both defendants for the emotional and psychological distress caused by their actions.

Miss Lawal is seeking a court order mandating JAMB and PEFTI to issue written apologies for the violation of her rights and to publish these apologies in two national daily newspapers

The plaintiff further requests the court to declare that JAMB’s and PEFTI’s rules compelling her to remove her hijab during the examination contravene her constitutional rights. According to the suit, the enforcement of such rules at the PEFTI CBT Center directly infringed on her religious freedom, causing her significant distress.

The case has sparked widespread attention, raising questions about the balance between examination regulations and the protection of religious rights in Nigeria. Legal experts anticipate that the court’s ruling could set a precedent for how religious accommodations are handled in standardized testing environments.

Neither JAMB nor PEFTI has issued a public statement regarding the lawsuit. The case is expected to proceed to a hearing in the coming weeks, with advocates for religious freedom closely monitoring developments.

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