JAMB Registrar denies hijab bans, cites investigations showing no candidates barred from UTME exams
JAMB Registrar Is-haq Oloyede defended the board's handling of hijab-related controversies during UTME examinations, stating investigations confirmed no female Muslim candidates were ultimately prevented from sitting exams due to wearing hijabs. Speaking at a Muslim public engagement, he referenced multiple incidents across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Abuja in recent years, including the 2026 Ibadan case where an NSCDC official mistakenly asked a candidate to adjust her hijab (she was allowed in after converting it to a scarf), and a February 2026 registration issue at Afe Babalola University attributed to standard biometric verification requiring temporary facial exposure—not full hijab removal. Oloyede emphasized JAMB has no policy prohibiting hijabs at CBT centres, clarifying that security procedures allow female officials to conduct searches without requiring hijab removal, and that centre-specific misunderstandings (like the Abuja case where a candidate reported to the wrong centre) or overzealous ad-hoc staff—not institutional discrimination—explain most allegations. He urged verification before amplifying claims publicly to avoid worsening religious tensions, noting that while vigilance against genuine discrimination is necessary, exaggeration risks damaging Christian-Muslim relationships. The registrar maintained that candidates facing issues were eventually accommodated, with no verified cases of hijab-wearing individuals being denied examination access under JAMB's supervision.