The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has condemned the conduct of an ad-hoc staff member who instructed a Muslim candidate to adjust her hijab during screening for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Ibadan.

The incident, which occurred on April 16 at the Esther Oshikoya Computer-Based Test Centre, came to public attention after a video circulated on social media, showing the candidate being stopped ahead of biometric verification.

In a statement issued by its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, the board said it became aware of the situation through its monitoring systems and intervened immediately.

Benjamin said the staff member involved was called to order, while directives were issued reinforcing that candidates wearing hijabs must not be asked to remove or alter them.

JAMB clarified that the action did not reflect its official guidelines, describing it as the conduct of an individual who failed to comply with established procedures.

The board reiterated that its policy permits candidates to wear religious attire, including hijabs, provided their facial features remain visible for biometric capture.

It added that all ad-hoc personnel across examination centres have been reminded of proper screening protocols to prevent a recurrence.

The development has reignited concerns over the consistency of screening practices at CBT centres nationwide, particularly regarding the treatment of candidates observing religious dress codes.

JAMB, however, maintained that it remains committed to respecting candidates’ religious rights while ensuring compliance with identification requirements during examinations.