The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused the management of Nifor Academy Secondary School in Benin City, Edo State, of religious persecution following the alleged refusal to register a female Muslim student for the Senior West African School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) because she wore a hijab.
In a press release issued on Thursday, the Benin City Coordinator of MURIC, Soughie Idris Dirisu, condemned the school’s action, describing it as unconstitutional and discriminatory against Muslim students.
According to Dirisu, the affected student, whose identity was withheld, was scheduled to be captured for enrollment in the upcoming examination but was denied the process due to her insistence on wearing the hijab, which the school allegedly asked her to remove.
“The girl in question is supposed to be captured in order to be enrolled for the coming Senior West Africa School Certificate Examination (WASC), but she was denied capturing for putting on hijab which is her Muslim identity,” the statement said.
MURIC described the development as “illegal, unconstitutional and Islamophobic,” insisting that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and the right to practice one’s faith, including the wearing of religious attire such as the hijab.
The organization emphasized that the hijab represented dignity and identity for Muslim women and should not be a basis for discrimination in educational institutions.
“We affirm that wearing hijab is the most dignifying aspect of our religion and it cannot be taken away from us because it is our right,” the group stated.
The group called on the management of Nifor Academy and officials of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in Edo State to ensure that all female Muslim candidates are duly registered for the WASSCE without being forced to remove their hijabs.
MURIC also warned that it may take legal action if any female Muslim student is denied registration on account of wearing the hijab.
“We will not hesitate to take all necessary legitimate steps against the school authority and even WAEC itself if any female Muslim candidate is denied registration on account of her hijab,” the statement added.
The organization further described religious persecution as a serious crime and urged authorities to address the issue to prevent further discrimination against Muslim students in schools.
