MURIC Heads to Supreme Court as Hijab Dispute at UI International School Enters Final Legal Phase
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has announced plans to approach the Supreme Court following the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal in Ibadan, which overturned an earlier High Court ruling that permitted willing Muslim female students of the International School, University of Ibadan (ISI), to wear the hijab with their school uniform.
The latest development marks another significant chapter in a legal dispute that has lasted for several years and continues to generate intense public debate over religious freedom, school autonomy, and constitutional rights in Nigeria.
In its judgment delivered on July 3, 2026, the Court of Appeal, in a split 2-1 decision, ruled in favour of the management of the International School, University of Ibadan. The majority judgment held that ISI is a private educational institution and, as such, is entitled to establish and enforce its own rules regarding school uniforms and dress codes. The appellate court consequently set aside the judgment of the Oyo State High Court delivered on May 22, 2024, which had recognised the right of Muslim female students to wear the hijab while in school.
According to the lead judgment, the Supreme Court's earlier decision permitting the use of hijab in public schools in Lagos State could not automatically be extended to private schools, as the legal and institutional circumstances differ. The court further noted that parents and students voluntarily agree to abide by the school's regulations upon admission, including its prescribed uniform policy.
However, one member of the appellate panel dissented, maintaining that the appeal lacked merit and that the High Court's earlier decision should have been upheld, illustrating that differing judicial interpretations remain on the constitutional issues involved.
Reacting to the judgment, MURIC described the verdict as disappointing and confirmed that it would challenge the decision at the Supreme Court. The Islamic rights advocacy group argues that Muslim students should not be denied the constitutional right to manifest their religion through the wearing of the hijab, irrespective of the ownership status of the school. Supporters of the appeal believe the nation's highest court should provide a definitive interpretation of how constitutional guarantees of religious freedom apply within privately owned educational institutions.
The ruling has also triggered widespread reactions across social media, where Nigerians have expressed sharply divided opinions.
Some commentators argued that if MURIC wishes to enforce compulsory hijab policies, it should establish private schools where such dress codes can be implemented without controversy.
Others insisted that school uniforms exist to ensure equality, discipline, and uniformity among students, arguing that introducing religious modifications could eventually open the door to demands from adherents of other faiths or traditional religions to wear their own religious attire or symbols within school premises.
Another group maintained that the central issue is the private status of the International School, University of Ibadan. They argued that while the Constitution and previous judicial decisions may protect the use of hijab in public schools, private institutions possess the legal authority to determine their internal rules and operational standards. According to this view, parents who disagree with such regulations are free to enrol their children in schools whose policies align with their religious convictions.
Conversely, supporters of the affected Muslim students contend that excluding willing students from wearing the hijab amounts to discrimination against Muslims in a school established within a federal university community attended by children of both Muslim and Christian staff. They argue that religious freedom should not cease merely because an educational institution is privately administered.
Some observers also questioned why the controversy emerged after decades during which Muslim students reportedly attended the school without major public disputes over the uniform policy, suggesting that dialogue rather than prolonged litigation may have provided a more constructive solution.
As the case heads to the Supreme Court, legal experts believe the eventual judgment could become a landmark precedent on the relationship between constitutional rights and the autonomy of private educational institutions across Nigeria. Whatever the outcome, the decision is expected to influence future debates surrounding religious expression, institutional independence, and the balance between individual freedoms and school regulations.
Until the Supreme Court delivers its final verdict, the hijab controversy at the International School, University of Ibadan remains one of Nigeria's most closely watched legal and constitutional disputes.
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