Outrage as Nigerian University Staff Check Female Students for Bras Before Exam

A Nigerian university has come under heavy criticism after a viral video appeared to show female students being physically checked to determine whether they were wearing bras before entering an exam hall.

The video, reportedly filmed at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ogun State, shows two women appearing to touch female students on the chest as they passed through a queue. One student was seemingly removed after being examined.

Though the exact date of the video remains unconfirmed, students told CNN it was recorded during the current exam period. The university has not publicly addressed the incident or responded to media inquiries.

The footage has sparked outrage online, with many Nigerians calling the practice invasive and unacceptable.

In a statement on social media, student union president Muizz Olanrewaju Olatunji defended what he called the school’s “no bra, no entry” policy, linking it to OOU’s broader dress code that promotes modesty and discourages clothing deemed “indecent.” He shared parts of the university’s dress guidelines, which classify indecent dressing as exposing sensitive body parts like breasts, buttocks, and navels.

However, the policy has been heavily condemned by legal and human rights advocates.

Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong described the practice of physically checking for bras as “degrading” and potentially “a form of sexual harassment.”

“Physically examining the bodies of students to determine whether they are wearing a bra or not is not only degrading but also undignifying,” Effiong told CNN. “There may be medical or personal reasons why a student chooses not to wear a bra. To enforce such a rule without exception is arbitrary and could warrant legal action.”

Olatunji later stated that discussions were underway between the student body and the university administration to explore more respectful and less intrusive ways of addressing dress code violations.

As the backlash continues, many Nigerians are calling for the school to revise its enforcement methods and ensure the dignity and rights of students are upheld.