The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, has directed all parties involved in the legal dispute over the use of the hijab by female Muslim students at the University of Ibadan International School to maintain the status quo pending further proceedings.
The order was issued on Wednesday when the court heard an application for an injunction pending appeal and a stay of execution filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).
The appellate court subsequently adjourned the matter until October 7, 2026, for further hearing.
The legal battle dates back to 2018 after some female Muslim students were reportedly barred from wearing the hijab to the University of Ibadan-owned secondary school. Their parents, led by Alhaji Abdulrahman Balogun, challenged the decision in court.
In 2024, the Oyo State High Court ruled in favour of the students, affirming their right to wear the hijab within the school. However, the Court of Appeal, in a split decision delivered last week, set aside that judgment, holding that the Supreme Court’s earlier decision affirming the use of the hijab applies to public schools.
Despite overturning the High Court’s ruling, the appellate court has now directed all parties to preserve the existing situation while the application before it is being determined.
The case, marked CA/IB/347/2024, was heard by a three-member panel led by Justice K.I. Amadi. After listening to submissions from the parties, the panel ordered that the current state of affairs be maintained until the matter comes up again on October 7.
The court also warned the management of the University of Ibadan International School, its teachers, and other administrators against harassing, intimidating, or taking disciplinary action against the affected Muslim students while the case remains before the court.
The dispute remains one of the most closely watched legal battles involving religious rights and school policies in Nigeria, with its outcome expected to have broader implications for the application of constitutional rights in educational institutions.
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