“Banning of Hijab in Nigeria is Unconstitutional” – NBA
Abuja (NAN) ― The
Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) on Monday advised the Federal Government
against banning Hijab (Muslim female headscarves), saying such proposal
would be unconstitutional.
Okey Wali,
the President of the association, rather urged the government to find a
lasting and peaceful solution to the security challenges threatening
the country.
Wali
told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that placing a ban on
wearing Hijab due to the recent spate of attacks by female suicide
bombers was not a positive and lasting strategy to curbing insecurity.
The
NBA president was reacting to recent calls by some members of the
public that the government should ban wearing Hijab to checkmate female
suicide bombers.
Wali
said that it was the right of every individual to dress according to
the requirement of his or her religion, adding that it was not an option
to ask female Muslim faithful to stop wearing the Hijab.
“Wearing
of Hijab by the female Muslim faithful has religious as well as
cultural meaning, and nobody can
take away that right from them.
“The
security agencies should find lasting solutions to the country’s
security challenges rather than place a ban on wearing of Hijab as that
is an easy way out,” he said.
Emmanuel Akubor,
Lecturer, Department of History, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU),
Ile-Ife, however, supported a temporary ban on the use of Hijab,
describing it as a security measure to curb the trend.
“For security reasons, the best thing for now is to place a temporary ban on the Hijab not for religious but security reasons.
“People
should not see a ban on the Hijab as showing hatred for the religion,
but because some persons have resolved to use the clothing to harm and
terrorise others,” he said.
Akubor
said due to these new method devised by terrorists to harm citizens,
other female Muslim faithful who wore the Hijab would suffer
discrimination as people may not want to associate with them due to
fear.
He
said that the temporary ban would prevent further use of the veil as an
instrument to perpetrate any form of crime in the society as terrorists
would not be able to disguise themselves.
Akubor
said although the temporary ban would ignite protest among the Muslim
community, religious leaders should educate and sensitise their
followers to regard the ban as a means to achieving peace for the
country.
He
suggested that in place of the full length Hijab or Niqap, the neck or
shoulder length Hijab should be allowed as it could still enable the
female cover herself.
Halima Hamidu,
a banker, said the trend of wearing the full Hijab or Niqap by female
Muslim faithful had dwindled in recent time due to discrimination
encountered by those who wore it.
Hamidu
said that some educational institutions did not allow wearing of Hijab
as it was not a formal attire, adding that some female Muslims now wore a
shoulder length veil or Hijab.
On his part, Yusuf Kazaure,
Executive Director, Corporate Services, Galaxy Backbone Ltd, said he
was not in support of placing a ban on the Hijab, adding that it would
not solve the security problem in the country.
“Even if a ban is placed on the Hijab, it will not solve the problem.
“Persons
who commit acts of terrorism will find another means to perpetrate
their crime and when that happens how will the situation be handled
then?,’’ he asked.
He
faulted the method used by security agencies to resolve security
threats, saying that suspects were often eliminated or released without
getting concrete information from them.
Kazaure
said that this method did not allow security agencies get useful
information needed to make arrests and solve security issues, thus
making the problem linger.
NAN
recalls that on June 8, a female suicide bomber killed herself and a
soldier close to the Quarter-guard of the 301 Battalion of Nigerian Army
in Gombe state.
The
female bomber was riding on a motorcycle and on approaching the gate of
the military facility, hugged a soldier which led to a bomb concealed
in her Hijab to explode, killing both of them.
In
recent months, there has been an increase in female suicide attacks in
parts of the country, which has led some persons to believe that the
female suicide bombers may be the captured Chibok girls.
Photo Credit: Darrinhenry/Dreamstime.com
