An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has described Friday’s ruling of the appelate court on hijab as a travesty of justice and a forced abortion in the temple of justice.
MURIC’s reaction came in a statement issued on Saturday, 4th July, 2026 by the executive director of the group, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
An appeal court sitting in Ibadan yesterday upturned the judgement of a lower court which approved the use of hijab in the International School, University of Ibadan (ISI-UI).
The appellate court’s decision came after a seven-year legal battle over the use of hijab instituted by 11 female Muslim students of the International School, University of Ibadan. In a split majority judgment of two to one, the Court of Appeal held that ISI-UI is a private school because it does not receive government subventions.
The Appeal Court also ruled that although freedom of religion is a fundamental right, it is a personal right that can be waived.
It held that the students had voluntarily accepted the school’s code of conduct and, therefore, could not claim that their rights had been infringed by the school’s dress policy.
Reacting MURIC said, “This is a travesty of justice, a forced abortion in the temple of justice and an inexplicable judicial somersault. This pronouncement cannot stand parri passu global best practices.
”It is a basic principle in the Nigerian legal system and around the world that a lower court cannot overrule the decision of a higher one, how much more in a case that the Supreme Court had given a pronouncement.
“It is well known that the Nigerian Supreme Court ruled in favour of the hijab since July 2022.
”It is our contention that even as a private school, ISI-UI has no right to violate Allah-given fundamental human rights of Muslim students moreso since the Constitution clearly States that no private rules, regulations or edicts can override its stipulations.
“This miscarriage of justice will not go unchallenged. We are heading to the Supreme Court. A Christian legal system has robbed Muslims of their identity and their value system. It must not stand.
“It is a blatant assault on our norms and Established social decorum. It has made a caricature of legitimate demands of Muslims. The battle has just started. Supreme Court here we come.”
