Condemnation of Harassment of Hijab-Wearing Candidates at 2026 UTME Centers: Call for Prosecution and Defense of Religious Rights
The Association of Nigerian Imams has expressed serious concern and unequivocal condemnation regarding reports of hijab-wearing students being harassed, denied access, and forced to remove their religious attire at Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Examination centers during the ongoing 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In a statement issued by Imam (Dr.) Umar Farooq Abdullahi (mpi) (Wakilin Malaman Nupe), the National Secretary, the association states:
1. We condemn these acts. The incident at Esther Oshikoya CBT Center, Ibadan, on April 16, 2026, where candidate Fatimah Salaudeen and other female students were reportedly compelled to remove their hijab before accreditation, violates their dignity, personhood, and constitutional rights. Reports from Peter Harvard Schools in Abuja confirm this is not an isolated incident.
We echo the question posed by JAMB Registrar Professor Ishaq Oloyede: “How would you ask another man’s wife to remove her hijab?” This constitutes religious harassment, public humiliation, and abuse of delegated authority. Repeated violations, despite sanctions in 2024 at Lagos’s Bafuto Institute and incidents at Covenant University and Mountain Top University during the 2023 Mock UTME, highlight a pattern of impunity that must be addressed.
2. We call for prosecution and sanctions. While JAMB’s quick response in Ibadan, including lifting restrictions, is commendable, apologies cannot replace accountability. The association demands:
a. Immediate removal of centers enforcing illegal policies, such as Esther Oshikoya CBT Center and Peter Harvard Schools, Abuja.
b. Criminal investigations and prosecutions of staff, supervisors, and security personnel involved, under relevant sections of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution and anti-discrimination laws.
c. Public disclosure of disciplinary actions by JAMB to prevent future violations.
d. Mandatory retraining of CBT center operators and security staff on JAMB’s guidelines regarding religious attire, with documented compliance before accreditation. Sanctions are essential; without them, violations will continue.
3. We reaffirm that Nigeria’s constitution guarantees the right to freedom of religion under Section 38(1). The hijab is an act of worship and obedience, not merely a fashion statement. JAMB’s guidelines permit it, requiring only respectful, private screening by female officers, where necessary. No official or security personnel have the authority to override constitutional rights or JAMB regulations.
Denying a girl her exam for wearing the hijab deprives her of education, her future, and citizenship, sending a dangerous message that faith makes her a stranger in her own country.
Our message to stakeholders:
– To CBT centers: Your license to administer exams does not authorize humiliation. Respect candidates’ faith or risk losing your accreditation.
– To parents and students: Know your rights. Report violations immediately with evidence. Silence sustains oppression.
– To government and JAMB: Enforce policies, publish a list of centers violating rules, and uphold religious freedom, independent of an invigilator’s mood.
– To all Nigerians: Attacks on one faith threaten all. The Association of Nigerian Imams stands with every Fatimah Salaudeen, advocating for merit-based access to education, not modesty.
We await JAMB’s concrete action beyond statements and the nation’s pursuit of justice.
