The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) has called on Vanguard Newspaper to clarify allegations that it digitally altered a photograph of 14-year-old Maryam Yusuf, a member of Nigeria’s winning team at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup held in Shanghai, China.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, MPAC said the original photograph released by the competition’s organisers showed Maryam wearing a niqab in line with her religious beliefs. The organisation alleged that the version published by Vanguard appeared to have removed the face veil.
MPAC said that while the newspaper had not publicly addressed the allegation, the matter required urgent clarification. It argued that, if the image was altered, such an action would raise concerns about journalistic ethics, professional standards and respect for religious identity.
The organisation said the incident reflected what it described as a broader pattern of bias against visibly identifiable Muslim women in sections of the media.
MPAC recalled that before the international competition, Maryam was subjected to criticism on social media after photographs of the Nigerian team circulated online, with attention focused on her niqab rather than her academic performance.
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Following Nigeria’s victory in its maiden appearance at the global championship, the organisation said Maryam’s achievement demonstrated that religious observance and academic excellence are not mutually exclusive. It added that Muslim women continue to make significant contributions across various professions while adhering to their religious beliefs.
MPAC further alleged that media coverage often reflects a double standard, claiming that images of Muslim women wearing the hijab or niqab are frequently published without alteration in negative news reports but that their religious identity is sometimes downplayed or removed when they are recognised for positive accomplishments.
The organisation also warned that the increasing use of artificial intelligence and digital editing technologies in newsrooms places greater responsibility on media organisations to preserve the authenticity of visual content.
MPAC called on Vanguard to publicly explain how the photograph was published and said that, if it is established that the image was altered without authorisation, the newspaper should issue an appropriate public apology and take corrective measures.
