The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has clarified an incident at the Esther Oshikoya Computer-Based Test (CBT) Centre in Ibadan during the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination screening exercise.
The Board said its monitoring system detected the incident during the first session on Thursday, April 16, and immediately intervened by directing the ad hoc official involved to comply with established guidelines.
JAMB said the official had wrongly instructed a candidate to remove or alter her hijab, stressing that the action was not part of its approved screening procedure.
“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 statement said.
It added that the incident did not reflect the centre’s official policy, but rather the action of an “overzealous ad hoc staff member” who failed to follow JAMB’s guidelines on candidates’ religious attire.
JAMB reaffirmed its commitment to protecting religious freedom and ensuring equal treatment for all candidates.
“The Board respects the religious beliefs and customs of all Nigerians and has addressed the situation promptly and appropriately,” it said.
The examination body stressed that candidates’ rights to religious expression, including dressing, remain protected under its policy framework.
It also disclosed that all ad hoc staff have been rebriefed and reminded of approved screening procedures across all CBT centres to prevent a recurrence.
“For the avoidance of doubt, all ad hoc staff have been further briefed and reminded of the approved procedures for screening candidates at all centres,” the statement added.
JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin said the Board remains committed to maintaining fairness, discipline, and inclusivity throughout the examination process.
