The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) Nigeria has condemned the alleged harassment of female Muslim candidates at the Nigerian Law School, Bwari Campus, during the ongoing Bar Part II examinations, calling on the institution’s management to ensure full compliance with the Supreme Court’s judgment on the right to wear hijab.
In a press statement issued on Saturday and signed by its Executive Chairman, Disu Kamor, MPAC said the incidents involved candidates being subjected to restrictions over their hijab and long, modest dresses despite a circular issued by the Law School permitting the use of hijab.
The organisation disclosed that its representative, Barrister Firdausa Amasa, visited the Bwari Campus to monitor compliance with the circular and observed that candidates wearing hijab were admitted without hindrance in four examination halls.
However, the situation was reportedly different at the Main Multipurpose Hall, where female candidates were allegedly stopped at the entrance and compelled to remove their hijab and re-wrap it around their heads like turbans before being allowed into the examination hall.
MPAC said Amasa personally witnessed two candidates crying at the entrance over the treatment they received.
The organisation commended the Law School for issuing the circular but expressed concern that its inconsistent implementation in some examination halls undermined the directive.
It also raised concerns over reports of similar harassment involving female candidates wearing ankle-length and other modest dresses at the Bwari and Lagos campuses.
According to MPAC, some candidates were reportedly stopped and told that their dresses were too long and should not be worn again, while others were allegedly advised to wear shorter skirts.
The organisation further claimed that the enforcement appeared selective, alleging that candidates wearing shorter dresses and those with long coloured nails were allowed into examination halls without similar scrutiny.
It added that the situation was reportedly more severe at the Lagos Campus, while an incident in one of the Bwari examination venues allegedly prompted a non-Muslim candidate to intervene in protest against the conduct of officials.
MPAC maintained that the right to wear hijab was no longer a matter of administrative discretion, citing the Supreme Court judgment in Lagos State Government & Ors v. Asiyat Abdulkareem & Ors (SC/910/2016), delivered on June 17, 2022.
The organisation noted that the Supreme Court, by a 5–2 majority decision, recognised the wearing of hijab as a manifestation of religious belief protected under Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and held that prohibiting it amounted to discrimination under Section 42.
It also referenced Section 287 of the Constitution, which provides for the enforcement of decisions of the Supreme Court by all authorities and persons throughout Nigeria.
The statement recalled that the judgment followed more than a decade of litigation involving Muslim schoolgirls who were prevented from wearing hijab to school.
It also highlighted the Nigerian Law School’s previous controversy involving Firdaus Amasa, who was excluded from the 2017 Call to Bar ceremony over her hijab before the Body of Benchers reversed the position in June 2018.
Describing the reported incidents as violations of religious freedom, dignity and equality, MPAC called on the Director-General and management of the Nigerian Law School to immediately address the situation.
The organisation outlined five demands, including an immediate directive to examination supervisors to ensure uniform compliance with the hijab policy across all examination halls and campuses.
It also called for an unconditional assurance that no candidate would be harassed, sanctioned, victimised or academically disadvantaged for wearing hijab, observing modest dress or reporting incidents of discrimination.
Other demands include an investigation into the reported incidents at the Bwari and Lagos campuses, appropriate administrative action against those found responsible, and a public acknowledgement to affected candidates.
MPAC further urged the Council of Legal Education, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, as well as the Nigerian Bar Association, to intervene urgently.
The organisation said it would continue monitoring the remaining examinations and encouraged candidates who experienced or witnessed discrimination to submit confidential reports through its website.
The statement concluded with a reminder that institutions responsible for upholding the law must also respect the constitutional rights of those within their jurisdiction.
Candidates can report alleged discrimination through: https://mpac-ng.org/report-discrimination/