A teenage candidate, Lawal Hameedat Adenike, has filed a lawsuit in opposition to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and PEFTI over an alleged incident wherein she was compelled to take away her hijab earlier than being allowed to take the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In response to Vanguard, the case was introduced earlier than the court docket by Lawal’s mom, Basirat Ojo, alongside her authorized consultant, Qousim Opakunle.
Chatting with journalists in Abuja on Friday, Ojo recounted that the incident occurred on April 25, 2025, on the PEFTI CBT Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State. She claimed that her daughter was denied entry to the examination until she eliminated her hijab, which she wears as a part of her non secular beliefs.
Describing the expertise as distressing and humiliating, Ojo mentioned, “As her mom, I needed to take motion to guard her rights.”
The household is demanding a proper public apology from each JAMB and PEFTI, to be printed in two nationwide newspapers. They’re additionally searching for compensation for what they describe as a violation of Lawal’s constitutional rights.
Lawal’s solicitor, Qousim Opakunle, underscored the authorized grounds for the case, citing Part 38 of the Nigerian Structure, which ensures freedom of thought, conscience, and faith.
“This motion is a transparent breach of her basic rights,” he acknowledged. “It’s our accountability to defend these rights, particularly for minors who might not have the facility to face up for themselves.”