Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ogun State, Nigeria, is under fire following the circulation of a video that appears to show female students being physically checked to determine if they were wearing bras before being allowed into examination halls.
The footage, which surfaced on social media, shows two women appearing to touch the chests of students as they file past in a queue. One student was seemingly removed from the line after a brief inspection. Several students confirmed to Africa Daily Post that the incident occurred on campus this week as examinations commenced.
The university has not issued any public statement in response to the growing criticism, nor has it replied to media requests for clarification regarding the alleged “no bra, no entry” policy.
According to Muizz Olanrewaju Olatunji, a student union leader at OOU, the rule is part of the school’s broader dress code policy aimed at promoting what the institution considers modest and distraction-free attire. In a post on X, Olatunji said the guidelines caution against dressing that exposes sensitive parts of the body, listing breasts, buttocks, nipples, and belly buttons as examples. He added that such attire is considered inappropriate if it could “make the same or opposite sex to lust after the student.”
Legal experts and rights activists have described the practice as deeply concerning. Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong told CNN that inspecting students’ bodies in such a manner could amount to sexual harassment and violates their dignity.
“There may be medical reasons why some students do not wear bras, and forcing such policies without discretion or sensitivity is arbitrary,” Effiong said. He warned that the school could face legal consequences if students seek redress.
Olatunji later announced that the student union is in talks with the university to find less intrusive ways of enforcing dress code rules, focusing on respectful engagement rather than invasive checks.
