A viral video showing female students of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, being checked for bras before entering the examination hall has sparked widespread criticism online and on campus.

The video, which surfaced on Tuesday, captures female students standing in a queue at the university’s main campus while unidentified officials appeared to be inspecting whether they were wearing bras before allowing entry into a computer-based test venue.

The incident has ignited outrage on social media, with many condemning the practice as a form of harassment and a misplacement of academic priorities.

A student who spoke to PUNCH Online on condition of anonymity said the checks are often enforced during exams but expressed frustration over the manner in which they are conducted.

“What happened is because we are having exams.

“They don’t do this every time. They will check you if you are wearing a bra.

“It has happened to me once, even though I felt embarrassed. That is OOU and their nonsense,” the source said.

Another student, who identified herself simply as Chioma, decried the overreach of security officials on campus.

“OOU doesn’t have respect for its students to the extent that ordinary security officers will be running after us because of slippers, shorts, and now bras.

“I like the fact that it has gone viral, now they will be forced to realise how stupid they have been,” Chioma said.

In response to the uproar, the university’s Student Union Government President, Muizz Olatunji, issued a statement via his social media platforms, noting that the union had engaged the school management over the issue.

“OOU Student Union has engaged with the institution to explore alternative approaches to addressing indecent dressing, focusing on respectful and dignified interactions between students and staff,” Olatunji said.

He also urged female students to dress modestly, adding, “OOU promotes a dress code policy aimed at maintaining a respectful and distraction-free environment.”

Olatunji clarified that the “No bra, no entry” stance is not a newly introduced policy but part of the institution’s long-standing code of conduct.

However, the university’s method of enforcing the rule continues to receive backlash across platforms.

One user on X, formerly Twitter, @truebenny001, wrote, “Foolishness of the highest order.

“These places are not universities. They are 3rd World degree marketing institutions.”

@GoldenEhis posted, “The men in the school should start a silent protest by also wearing bras to school to show the management how stupid the rule is.”

Another user, @aaygee_O, questioned the manner of the checks,”This is wrong. If they must do this, do they have to touch their breasts to find out if they have a bra on or not?”

@Globecore2 wrote, “If a university is more worried about bras than brains, then the real indecency is in their priorities.”

Adding to the criticism, @ThisisSpaceman commented, “Nigeria loves to pretend it’s modest but in the same schools where girls are lined up to check for bras, lecturers are demanding sex for grades.

“Fix the rot, not the bras.” (The PUNCH, excluding headline)