An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has ordered the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and PEFTI CBT Centre to jointly pay N10 million in damages to Miss Lawal Hameedat Adenike Olamide for violating her fundamental rights after she was forced to remove her hijab before sitting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

In a judgment delivered last week, a Certificate True Copy of which was obtained on Thursday, Justice Y. S. Adekunle declared that any rule requiring female candidates to remove hijabs worn for religious purposes before writing the UTME is unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.

The suit was instituted by the candidate, a minor, through her mother, Mrs Basirat Ojo Oba, following the incident during the April 25, 2025 UTME at the PEFTI CBT Centre, located at 32 Oyo Road, Coca-Cola Area, Bodija, Ibadan.

The claimant, represented by her counsel, Qousim A. Opakunle, argued that compelling her to remove her hijab as a condition for sitting the examination violated her constitutional rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion as guaranteed under Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

She sought several reliefs, including declarations that the alleged policy of requiring female candidates to remove religious head coverings was unconstitutional, an order directing JAMB and PEFTI CBT Centre to issue written apologies and publish them in two national newspapers, and monetary compensation for the violation of her rights.

In his judgment, Justice Adekunle held that the defendants' action in forcing the claimant to remove her hijab before she could sit the examination constituted a violation of her fundamental human rights.

The court declared that any rule made by JAMB or the CBT centre requiring the removal of hijabs worn for religious purposes by female candidates was inconsistent with the Constitution and therefore invalid.

The court further ordered JAMB and PEFTI CBT Centre to independently write letters of apology to the claimant and publish the apologies in two national daily newspapers within seven days of the judgment.

In addition, the court awarded N10 million in damages against the defendants jointly and ordered them to pay N500,000 as the cost of the suit.

Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the claimant, Qousim Opakunle, described the decision as a victory for the protection of constitutional rights.

He said the case was founded on Section 38 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

He added that the judgment reinforces the duty to protect the fundamental rights of all citizens, particularly minors who are unable to defend themselves.