A teenage girl identified as Lawal Hameedat Adenike has filed a lawsuit against PEFTI and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for allegedly compelling her to take off her hijab before to taking the University Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Both her lawyer and mother filed the case on her behalf.
Lawal’s mother, Basirat Ojo, described the incident that took place at the PEFTI CBT Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State, on April 25, 2025, in an interview with reporters in Abuja on Friday.
The case calls for JAMB and PEFTI to issue a public apology, have it featured in two national publications, and pay damages for violating her rights. Moreover, it requests a judicial ruling that any regulation mandating female candidates to take off their headscarves is unlawful.
My daughter was told she could not write the exam unless she removed her hijab, which she wears for religious reasons. This was a painful and humiliating experience for her. As her mother, I had to take action to protect her rights” her mother explained.
Also speaking on the case, Lawal’s lawyer, Qousim Opakunle, stressed the legal grounds for the case.
He said, “This demand violates Section 38 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. It is our duty to protect these fundamental rights, especially for minors who cannot defend themselves.”
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