NSCIA Lauds Lagos State Govt Over Use Of Hijab In Public Schools

By Tukur Muntari, Kano

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has commended the Lagos state Government for approving the use of Hijab in public schools in the state.

The commendation is contained in a statement by the NSCIA Deputy Secretary-General, Prof. Salisu Shehu and made available to newsmen in Kano on Saturday.

Shehu is the Dean, School of Continuing Education (SCE), Bayero University Kano.

“Though the approval is not a favour in any way as the government had been acting ultra vires all this while by refusing to obey the judgement of the Court of Appeal since July 2016 that it was given.

“We still commend the government for doing the right thing and behaving responsibly now in the eyes of the enlightened citizens who know that judgements must be obeyed until they are set aside by courts of competent jurisdiction.

“We urge the state government to take a step further by withdrawing its appeal on the same matter from the Supreme Court of Nigeria. That is the appropriate thing to do,”Shehu said.

THe urged other state governments across the country, especially in the South West, South South and South East geopolitical zones, to take a cue from the Lagos state government.

He said there was need for the governments to do the needful just like the Ekiti state government under Dr Kayode Fayemi.

He said states should not wait until they were compelled by the courts, in line with the constitutional provisions, as it happened in Kwara and Osun states.

“The council condemns in totality the incident of Thursday, November 15, 2018 at the International Schools Ibadan (ISI) and demands that the principal of ISI be sanctioned for dragging the name of the school in the mire and trampling on the rights of its students. (NAN)