Hijab Controversy: Nigerian Muslims Threatens Nationwide Protest

The umbrella body of Nigerian
muslims, the Nigerian Supreme
Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), has given its reaction over the current hijab controversy involving a Muslim Law graduate, Firdaus Amosa and the the Nigerian Law School.

On December 13, Firdaus was disallowed from having her call to bar because she refused to put off her hijab.

In a press statement by the Deputy Secretary General of the organisation, Salisu Shehu, a professor, on Tueday, the group accused the Nigerian
Law School of lawlessness and
Islamophobia.

The group also threatened nationwide
protest and a fierce legal action,
should the law school fail to
rescind its decision not to call the
affected graduate to the bar.

The statement reads in part:

“There is no doubt that Abdulsalam Firdaos Amosa has been victimized, humiliated and traumatised by the Nigerian Law School, the Body of Benchers and the Council for Legal Education on account of her faith,” the
statement said.

“She has been denied of rightfully
joining her professional colleagues
just because of her religion. She
has been exposed to ridicule and
opprobrium by standing for her religious rights. It begs the question that she is not the only Muslim lady among those concerned as no one will stand for her when she appears before her Creator to defend the correctness and otherwise of her actions. We reiterate that she has not violated any law.

“The NSCIA demands that the
Federal Government, through the Ministry of Justice, call the Council
for Legal Education and the Nigerian Law School to order so that they will not stoke religious crisis in the country.

“Our Council patiently waits for
what the Ministry will do as it puts
other options on the table including litigation and nation-wide protests.

“Those who think they can ride
roughshod on the rights of Muslims just because their co-Christian colonialists did it successfully will have to wake up and realise that Muslims are equal stakeholders in this country.”