Hijab Rights Advocacy Initiative, a Muslim Women based Non-Governmental Organisation that caters for the rights of Muslim women who choose to wear the Hijab in Nigeria has said Covenant University CBT Centre situated at Ota, Ogun State denies candidates wearing Hijab from writing 2023 mock-UTME of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) (a Nigerian entrance examination board for tertiary-level institutions). The 2023 optional mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, scheduled for today March 30th March.

The incident had caused indignation across the country, with individuals and civil society organisations accusing the university’s administration of prejudice.

At about 8:10 AM today, in a statement available to the press, the Executive Director, Hijab Rights Advocacy Initiative, Mutiat Orolu-Balogun, said, “We at Hijab Rights Advocacy Initiative got a distress call this morning at 07:25 am from the father of a candidate Mr AA Olayode, that his daughter and several other candidates wearing Hijab were denied from entering Covenant University Ota, Ogun State, their CBT centre for the Mock Jamb examinations.”

Orolu-Balogun said, “He stated that he tried to explain to the security guards that as a National Examination, candidates where posted there by the examination body and thus should be allowed to write their exams.”

“The security guards insisted that the University being a Christian University does not permit Hijabs in their premises and as such the candidates could not enter. Some candidates removed their Hijabs in order to gain entry, while Maryam the daughter of Mr Olayode and two others who did not remove their Hijab were denied entry.”

According to her, the Hijab Rights Advocacy Initiative swung into action and contacted JAMB immediately. The Centre coordinator at Covenant University CBT centre was contacted and he joined the denied candidates at the gate and promptly let them in.

An investigation by The Muslim Voice, Nigeria has revealed that the overbearing security guard who was acting rashly has been fired, and all of the candidates who wear the hijab are present in the hall as expected (see pictures below).

In response, JAMB stated that it took action immediately its attention was drawn to the issue.

The Board assured them of opportunity to sit for the rescheduled exam while apologising to the concerned candidates.

“It should be noted that the Board, as an equal opportunity organization, would never condone any scintilla of discrimination against any entity or person.

“The general public is, therefore, given all necessary assurances that the Board would put necessary machinery in motion to ensure that such an incident does not reoccur in future.”