The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has stated that candidates are not required to remove their hijabs during registration.

The board made the clarification following a video that raised concerns about alleged discrimination against Muslim candidates at the Afe Babalola University.

In a video shared by social media user AsakyGRN, a man lamented that his sister was told to remove her hijab before being photographed for the exam registration.

“I followed my sister to the JAMB centre to collect her form. She was told to remove her hijab before she could be captured,” the man said.

“After the capturing, they asked her to sign an undertaking for wearing a hijab. Are Muslims now being discriminated against for wearing hijabs?”

Reacting in a statement on Saturday via its X account, JAMB said it has never issued any directive prohibiting candidates from wearing the hijab.

The board noted that it is a standard practice globally that during biometric photo capture for both an international passport and a visa, both ears must be visible.

“This requirement is purely technical and is intended to ensure that proper facial recognition and identification do not require the candidate to remove her hijab,” the board said.

Shedding more light on the ABUAD incident, JAMB added that the candidate’s religious position was respected.

“She was requested to formally state in writing that she personally chose not to comply with the guideline regarding ear visibility, so that the record would accurately reflect the circumstances and prevent future misrepresentation,” the board said.

“She obliged and was successfully captured, albeit after considerable time and effort.

“For clarity, candidates are not required to remove their hijab. The simple requirement is that the ears be visible during photo capture, which can be done without removing the hijab itself.

“This is a standard biometric procedure, similar to what is obtained during passport or visa applications at embassies worldwide.”

The board urged the public to avoid spreading misleading accounts and to seek clarification where necessary.

It further reaffirmed its commitment to respecting the rights and beliefs of all candidates, irrespective of religion or background.

The Lagos state government has commenced the implementation of a five percent withholding tax (WHT) deduction on gaming winnings.

In a newspaper advert on Thursday, Are Bashir, chief executive officer (CEO) of the authority, said the deduction is in line with applicable tax laws and regulatory directives governing the industry.

According to the statement, the deduction applies to net winnings from licensed gaming platforms operating within the state and will be made at the point of payout.

“All licensed gaming operators in Lagos have been directed to comply immediately with the framework,” Bashir said.

“Under the new arrangement, 5% of qualifying gaming winnings will be automatically deducted before payment is made to players and remitted to the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) as the statutory tax authority.

“According to the State Government, the measure forms part of Lagos’ broader drive to strengthen tax compliance, transparency, and accountability in the rapidly expanding gaming sector.”

The CEO said players must provide their national identification number (NIN) in line with know-your-customer (KYC) requirements, while licensed operators will oversee all deductions and remittances in accordance with regulatory guidelines.

“Players will receive their winnings net of the statutory deduction, with proper records maintained for transparency. The WHT deducted also serves as a tax credit to the player,” he added.

Bashir said that all licensed gaming operators in Lagos state have been formally directed to begin implementing the deductions with immediate effect.

1. Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Tuesday spent the second night in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, as his lawyer, A.U Mustapha (SAN), pushes for his release on bail.

There are, however, indications that the commission may seek a remand order to extend his stay in custody to enable him to respond to questions posed by investigators handling his matter.

2. The Sultanate Council Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, in conjunction with the National Moonsighting Committee, has stated that it received reports from various Moonsighting Committees across the Country, confirming the sighting of the new moon of Ramadan 1447AH, on Tuesday, 17th February, 2026.
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3. A pre-congress stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State turned violent on Tuesday as suspected thugs invaded the party secretariat in Akure, leaving many injured and the state chairman and a commissioner beaten.
The incident occurred less than 24 hours before the nationwide ward congress scheduled to be held across 203 wards in the state

4. Some members of the House of Representatives walked out of the green chamber on Tuesday in protest against the move to rescind the passage of the Electoral Act Amendment bill. Trouble started after Francis Waive, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Rules and Business, moved a motion for the House to reverse its decision on the bill which was passed on December 23, 2025.

5. Six travellers, including four members of the Ansaarudeen Islamic Society, were on Tuesday morning abducted by bandits along the Naka-Makurdi road in Benue State, with the kidnappers demanding N100 million for their release.

6. The Naira on Tuesday appreciated to N1,385 per dollar in the parallel market from N1,393 per dollar on Monday. Similarly, the naira appreciated to N1,337 per dollar in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market, NFEM.

7. A pre-congress stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State turned violent on Tuesday as suspected thugs invaded the party secretariat in Akure, leaving many injured and the state chairman and a commissioner beaten. The incident occurred less than 24 hours before the nationwide ward congress.

8. Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Tuesday spent the second night in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, as his lawyer, A.U Mustapha, pushes for his release on bail. There are, however, indications that the commission may seek a remand order to extend his stay in custody to enable him to respond to questions posed by investigators handling his matter.

9. Salaries of unverified workers in the Federal Civil Service will be discontinued from March 2026, following the conclusion of the ongoing Personnel Audit and Skills Gap Analysis. This was contained in a memo issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on Tuesday.

10. The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the extradition of a Nigerian man, Matthew Chukwuemeka Adebiyi, also known as Matthew Adebiyi, to the United Kingdom to face trial over allegations of murder and drug-related offences. Justice Ayokunle Faji delivered the judgment on Monday in suit No. FHC/L/CS/416/2025, filed by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.