An early morning examination session at the Esther Oshikoya CBT Centre was briefly disrupted on Thursday, April 16, 2026, following a controversy involving the directive for female candidates to remove their hijabs before gaining entry into the examination hall. Findings by The Nigeria Education News revealed that the incident, which later sparked reactions on social media, occurred during the first session scheduled for 6:30 a.m.
According to eyewitness accounts gathered by our correspondents, candidates had begun arriving at the centre as early as 6:45 a.m., with security personnel reportedly enforcing screening procedures. Several female candidates were allegedly instructed to remove their head coverings, a directive some complied with before entry. The situation, however, escalated when one of the candidates resisted the instruction.
The candidate, identified as Fatimah Salaudeen from the Aperin-Elekuro area, reportedly expressed hesitation in removing her hijab, leading to a confrontation at the entrance of the centre. Our findings indicate that the tension attracted attention from other candidates and parents present at the venue, some of whom initially downplayed the issue before reactions intensified.
Further investigations by The Nigeria Education News show that members of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) arrived at the centre shortly after 7:00 a.m. and raised concerns over what they described as a violation of religious rights. Their presence appeared to shift the mood at the venue, as some parents who had earlier complied with the directive began to question the screening process.
In a swift intervention, a resident monitor from the University of Ilorin reportedly condemned the handling of the situation and took steps to de-escalate tensions. Centre officials, including the supervisor and other examination personnel, subsequently engaged stakeholders to restore calm and ensure the continuation of the exercise.
Security operatives later reinforced presence at the venue, including officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), led by the Head of Operations in Oyo State. The agency acknowledged receiving multiple reports concerning the incident and clarified that the actions of the officer involved did not reflect official policy or examination guidelines.
The proprietors of the CBT centre, Mr. and Mrs. Oshikoya, also expressed concern over the development, noting that the facility had operated for over a decade without any recorded religious-related controversy. They emphasized that their primary responsibility lies in ensuring a smooth examination process, adding that they moved quickly to address the disruption and stabilise activities.
The Centre Supervisor, Prof. Abdullahi Oriire of the University of Abuja, confirmed that the screening process had previously admitted several properly dressed candidates without issues. He described the incident as unexpected and assured that corrective measures had been taken to prevent a recurrence. Affected personnel were reportedly replaced, and normal examination activities resumed shortly after, with additional oversight from security agencies, including the police.
