April 26, 2025
While Nigerian Christian groups and their foreign sponsors in Europe and America continue to push a false narrative of Christian marginalization, the reality on the ground tells a different story—one of systemic discrimination against Muslims, particularly in education and public life. The recent incident at Caleb University, where hijab-wearing Muslim students were forced to remove their religious attire before writing the 2025 UTME, is just one example of the many abuses that go unreported or dismissed.
Hijab Denial: A Persistent Violation of Religious Freedom
The harassment of Muslim female students at Caleb University is not an isolated case. Over the years, several Christian-owned schools and institutions in Nigeria have barred Muslim students from wearing the hijab, despite constitutional guarantees of religious freedom. In Lagos, Ogun, and other southern states, Muslim students have been sent home, suspended, or even expelled for refusing to remove their headscarves. Yet, these incidents rarely make international headlines, unlike exaggerated claims of Christian persecution.
Worse still, when Muslim organizations protest such discrimination, they are often accused of causing trouble or trying to “Islamize” Nigeria—a baseless narrative pushed by those who seek to portray Muslims as aggressors rather than victims of oppression.
Double Standards in Religious Representation
Christian groups enjoy overwhelming representation in Nigeria’s political and educational sectors, yet they continue to claim marginalization. In contrast, Christian religious symbols—crosses, nativity scenes, and church programs—are openly displayed in public institutions. Yet, Muslim students are denied the right to pray in schools or observe their dress codes. The hypocrisy is glaring.
Media Bias and International Propaganda
Western media and human rights organizations amplify claims of Christian persecution in Nigeria while ignoring the documented cases of Muslim rights violations. When Christian groups lobby foreign governments and NGOs, they present a skewed narrative that paints Muslims as oppressors, despite evidence to the contrary.
While attacks against Christians and Churches rightfully receive global condemnation, attacks on Mosques and Muslims, like the repeated anti-Muslim violence in the South-East and the bombing of Kano Central Mosque, are routinely ignored by the international community. This selective outrage coincides with a dangerous false narrative peddled by Christian lobbyists who claim Nigeria faces “Islamization,” despite Christians overwhelmingly dominating government positions, security agencies, and economic sectors. Worse still, these misleading claims are amplified through foreign sponsorship, as Western-funded Christian groups systematically exaggerate persecution while downplaying well-documented Muslim rights violations, from hijab bans to deadly mob attacks. This orchestrated disinformation campaign not only distorts Nigeria’s religious reality but also emboldens further discrimination against Muslims.
The Caleb University hijab incident is a reminder that Muslim rights are routinely violated in Nigeria, while Christian groups continue to play the victim. If Nigeria is to achieve true religious equality, the world must stop turning a blind eye to the oppression of Muslims and hold all violators accountable.
The silence must end. The hypocrisy must be exposed. Muslim rights matter too.
Bashir Lucas Samson Lukman
KnowIslam Project
