JAMB blames ‘overzealous’ ad hoc staff member for hijab incident at Ibadan CBT centre

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has blamed an ad hoc staff member for an incident involving the alleged restriction of hijab-wearing candidates at a CBT centre in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The board said it intervened immediately after being alerted to the incident at the Esther Oshikoya CBT Centre during the screening exercise for the first session of the examination on Thursday, April 16.

In a statement on Thursday signed by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, JAMB said it directed that no candidate wearing hijab should be asked to remove or alter it.

It said the action was not part of its official procedure, but the decision of an “overzealous” ad hoc staff member who failed to follow established guidelines.

“The Board promptly intervened by calling the ad hoc official involved to order and issuing immediate instructions that no candidate wearing a hijab should be asked to remove or alter it.

“The Board wishes to state clearly that this act was neither perpetrated by the centre nor part of its official protocol.

“Rather, it was the action of an overzealous ad hoc staff member who failed to adhere to the Board’s established guidelines regarding candidates’ religious attire,” the statement read.

JAMB said it respects the religious beliefs of all candidates and has reiterated that no candidate should be discriminated against on the basis of faith or dressing.

“We assure all candidates, regardless of faith, that their rights to religious expression including dressing remain a cornerstone of our policy,” JAMB said.

The board added that all ad hoc staff have been briefed again on approved screening procedures ahead of ongoing examinations.

It assured candidates that their rights to religious expression, including dressing, remain protected under its policies.

The incident followed the circulation of a video showing a female candidate being delayed at a CBT centre during the ongoing UTME screening process and asked to remove her hijab before entry, sparking concerns over possible discrimination.

JAMB conducts nationwide examinations through accredited computer-based test centres, where ad hoc staff are deployed to supervise screening and examination procedures.

Similar controversies have occasionally emerged in the past over interpretation of dress and identification guidelines at examination centres.