Ibadan Court Upholds Muslim Students’ Right to Wear Hijabs with School Uniforms After it Was Banned in 2018

An Ibadan High Court has ruled that female Muslim students at the International School Ibadan have the right to wear hijabs with their school uniforms, upholding religious freedom and dismissing the school’s appeal.

An Oyo State High Court in Ibadan has ruled in favor of allowing female Muslim students at the International School Ibadan (ISI), affiliated with the University of Ibadan, to wear hijabs with their school uniforms. This decision follows a series of legal battles that began after the school banned hijabs in 2018.

Justice Moshood Ishola, presiding over the case, struck down an application for a stay of execution from ISI, marking the second such ruling within six months. He ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain ISI’s request and underscored the importance of protecting fundamental human rights, specifically the right to religious expression.

During the hearing, ISI’s legal team argued that their appeal should be admissible based on court procedure rules, while Hassan Fajimite, representing the students, and Yusuf Anikulapo, counsel for the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), defended the right of the students to practice their religion in school.

Reacting to the verdict, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Chairman of the ISI Muslim Parents Forum, welcomed the decision as a step toward inclusivity and highlighted the importance of religious tolerance. The ruling reaffirms the constitutional right to freedom of religious expression for students in public schools.

READ ALSO: Court Fines University of Ibadan School N240,000 Over Hijab Controversy

SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, LEGIT NG