Hijab: MSSN advises Kwara Govt to retain missionary schools, change names

The Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Kwara Area Unit, has advised the Kwara Government to retain all missionary schools in the state and continue funding them.

Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulmumin, the Amir and Chairman of MSSN, Kwara State Area Unit, gave advice while fielding questions from our correspondent on Monday  in Ilorin.

He also advised the government to exercise its powers, by changing the names of all grant-aided missionary schools, owned by government, to names that depict the ownership of the schools by the community, and not any missionary body.

He observed that the missionary schools in the state were built, established and ran with taxpayers money.

Abdulmumin criticised the state government for its poor handling of the case of alleged murder of Habeeb Idris and maiming of several other Muslims at the premises of Oyun Baptist High School, Ijagbo, on the Feb. 4.

According to him, Idris was killed during the skirmishes that ensued over the Hijab protest for school girls in Kwara.

He added that the case was yet to be resolved, resulting from the death, while the government decided to open the Oyun Baptist High School.

He noted that the society was still awaiting the appropriate assignment of the panel of inquiry, and the much anticipated justice from the state government in the matter.

The MSSN chairman further stated that government must address the issue on ground, and provide long-lasting solution to the problem.

Besides, he urged government to avoid favouritism and allow justice to,prevail over the Oyun Baptist High School, Ijagbo, Hijab crisis, the murder of Habeeb Idris and the maiming of several other Muslims.

“We demand that government should duly and appropriately compensate the family of the deceased and the perpetrators brought to book.

“We also advise that government should form a formidable committee, consisting of legal and security operatives, who would see to the enforcement of the government’s order, and the orders of the court, on the rights of Muslim students, in government-owned schools, on wearing of wear Hijab,” he said

Abdulmumin recalled the recent ruling of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in favour of Secondary School Students in Lagos State, and by extension all states of the country to use Hijab, should be respected.