The Nigerian Law School has rejected claims that female Muslim candidates who wear the hijab were harassed or stopped from entering examination halls during the Bar Final Examinations on 31 October.
In a statement posted on its Facebook page on Wednesday, the school’s Secretary to the Council and Director of Administration, Aderonke Osho, described the allegations as false. She said the institution has no policy or practice of religious discrimination.
“The school categorically states that it has no policy or institutional practice of religious discrimination,” the statement read.
The school said its examination rules exist to ensure proper identification, prevent malpractice and protect the integrity of the exams.
It disclosed that a female student in a hijab was apprehended during the Bar Part I examinations on 29 October. According to the school, she was allegedly found with an earpiece hidden in her hijab and a mobile phone strapped to her thigh.
The school said it is still investigating the incident in line with its examination rules and relevant regulations.
It added that security measures at the examinations were applied fairly and without discrimination, citing Sections 38 and 42 of the Constitution, which guarantee freedom of religion and prohibit discrimination.
The controversy follows a 2022 Supreme Court judgement affirming the right of female Muslim students in Lagos State public schools to wear the hijab over their uniforms. In the case between the Lagos State Government and Asiyat AbdulKareem and others, the apex court upheld the students’ right to manifest their religious beliefs.
Although that ruling concerned public schools and not the Law School, it remains relevant to the wider debate on religious freedom in educational institutions.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) had also criticised the alleged restriction on hijab-wearing candidates. The group argued that candidates should not be punished collectively over the alleged misconduct of one student.
The Law School urged the public to avoid premature conclusions and allow its investigation to establish the facts.
Law graduates must complete a one-year programme at the Nigerian Law School and pass its Bar examinations before being called to the Nigerian Bar. The school is run by the Council of Legal Education, while successful candidates are called to the Bar by the Body of Benchers, the highest body of distinction in the legal profession.
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