Muslim parents forum to challenge hijab ban at Supreme Court

The ISI Muslim Parents Forum (ISIMPF) says it will appeal to the Supreme Court after the Court of Appeal upheld the University of Ibadan International School (ISI-UI)’s ban on female Muslim students wearing hijabs.

The case, which lasted seven years, was filed by 11 Muslim students. In a split 2–1 decision, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the school.

Justices Biobele Georgewill and K.I. Amadi, who delivered the majority judgment, said ISI-UI should be treated as a private school because it does not receive government funding. They also ruled that the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision allowing hijabs applies only to public schools in Lagos State, not private schools like ISI-UI.

The judges further held that the students had accepted the school’s rules by signing its code of conduct, including the uniform policy. Justice Georgewill said, “No infringement of rights was noticed.”

However, the court found that the school violated the students’ rights by locking them in the library for three to four hours. It reduced the compensation awarded by the Oyo State High Court from N1 million to N200,000.

In the dissenting judgment, Justice Fadawu Umar agreed with the High Court’s earlier ruling and dismissed the school’s appeal, saying it lacked merit.

Reacting to the judgment, ISIMPF Chairman Abdur-Rahman Balogun said the forum was disappointed but determined to continue the legal battle.

“As Allah decreed, we lost the appeal, but the struggle continues,” Balogun said.

He added, “We will take this matter to the highest court in the land. We appeal to all to remain calm in the face of what we consider open oppression.”