The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) has called on Vanguard Newspaper to explain allegations that it digitally altered a photograph of 14-year-old Maryam Yusuf, a member of Nigeria’s victorious team at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup in Shanghai, China.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the organisation said the original image released by the competition’s organisers showed Maryam wearing a niqab in accordance with her religious beliefs. However, MPAC alleged that the version published by Vanguard appeared to have removed her face veil.
MPAC said that although the newspaper had not issued an official explanation, the allegation warranted urgent clarification. It argued that, if confirmed, the alteration would amount to a breach of journalistic ethics, professional integrity and respect for religious identity.
The group linked the controversy to what it described as a broader pattern of bias against visibly identifiable Muslim women in the media. It recalled that before the international competition, Maryam faced widespread ridicule on social media, with much of the attention focused on her niqab rather than her academic achievements.
Following Nigeria’s historic victory in its maiden appearance at the global championship, MPAC said Maryam’s success demonstrated that religious faith and academic excellence are compatible. The organisation maintained that Muslim women continue to excel across various professions while observing their religious obligations.
MPAC also criticised what it described as a double standard in media coverage, alleging that images of Muslim women wearing the hijab or niqab are often published without alteration when linked to negative stories, but that their religious identity is sometimes downplayed or erased when they are recognised for positive achievements.
The organisation further argued that media bias can extend beyond inaccurate reporting to editorial decisions about whose achievements receive prominence and how individuals are represented.
It warned that the increasing use of artificial intelligence and digital editing tools in newsrooms places greater responsibility on media organisations to preserve the authenticity of visual content.
MPAC called on Vanguard to publicly clarify how the photograph came to be published in its current form and, if it is established that the image was altered without authorisation, to issue a public apology, restore the original photograph, and review its editorial processes to prevent similar incidents in the future