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MURIC to Lagos State Government: Give us a circular on hijab

Published

5 years ago

December 21, 2021

MURIC backs FRSC bill to ban preaching, hawking in commercial buses

Founder and Director, Islamic human rights organisation, Muslim Rights Concern, Prof. Ishaq Akintola

The Muslim Rights Concern has asked the Lagos State Government to issue a circular on the permissibility of using hijab in public schools in the state.

The demand was made by MURIC in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The group hinged its request on incidents in the state’s public schools in which some teachers maltreat female Muslim students who use hijab.

It said: “Female Muslim students are daily exposed to humiliation, persecution and denial of Allah-given fundamental human rights in Lagos public schools over the use of hijab. Although there is a subsisting court judgement in favour of hijab use, school authorities hide under the cover of the absence of an official circular approving or unbanning use of hijab to infringe on Allah-given fundamental human rights of the Muslim girl-child.

“The spread and sequence of these violations and abuses are alarming. Our records show that Lagos schools where female Muslim students are disallowed from using hijab in October 2021 alone include Okota Senior Grammar School, Okota, Isolo, Ogba Junior Grammar School, Ogba, Alimosho Junior Grammar School, Alimosho, Community Primary School, Ilogbo, Anglican Primary School, Ijanikin, L. A. Primary School, Ilogbo-Elegba, and Fazil Umar Ahmadiyyah Primary School, Okokomaiko, to mention just a few.

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“The most recent one is the incident at Igboye Community High School, Igboye, Epe, Lagos State, where two female Muslim students were made to stand outside the classroom in the sun while their classmates were writing an examination. This happened few days ago in December 2021 and their only crime was that they wore hijab.

“Meanwhile MURIC is aware that the state government does not support the maltreatment of female Muslim students who wear hijab. The Commissioner of Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo always intervenes whenever MURIC reports any case of overzealousness of a school principal or teacher over the hijab issue.

“Neither does the state governor have any aversion to the use of hijab. A picture that went viral last week showed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu sitting beside an hijab-clad female Muslim student inside a classroom. There were also other Muslim girls who wore hijab in that classroom. That picture spoke volumes.

“A governor entered a classroom and saw some female students wearing hijab. He did not send them out. He did not order them to remove their hijab. Neither did he reprimand them for wearing it inside the classroom. Instead, he elected to sit beside one of such hijab-clad girls.

“MURIC commends Sanwo-Olu for this singular act. It is a clear demonstration of a positive inclination towards hijab. It exemplifies the height of religious tolerance and it sent a strong message to the Lagos public that the governor has nothing against hijab and Muslims.

“Yet the governor’s humane and accomodating attitude stands in contradistinction to the hostile disposition of the direct handlers of the Muslim girl-child in Lagos public schools. In timid obedience to the schools’ instructions prohibiting use of hijab in the school premises, female Muslim students wear hijab from home but they remove it at the schools’ gates and tuck it inside their bags.

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“But the teachers go to the extent of assaulting the female Muslim students even inside commercial vehicles as they ride to or from school. They forcefully remove the hijab from the girls’ heads and slap them on their faces. These acts are not only judiciable but also provocative. They are capable of igniting religious crisis.

“It is therefore very glaring that the school principals, headmasters and teachers are the problems. But the irony here is that they also claim to be innocent and acting on the orders of the Sanwo-Olu administration. They tell Islamic organisations who complain of molestation of Muslim girls that there is no circular approving hijab. Though we ask them also to produce any circular that banned hijab ab initio, they stand their ground and the persecution continues ad infinitum.

“This squarely places the Muslim girl-child, her parents as well as Islamic organisations and the Lagos Muslim community in a conundrum. The LASG has a responsibility to resolve this dilemma by coming clear and producing a circular. MURIC calls on LASG to do the needful without delay.

“It is the lack of a clear directive from the state government to the school authorities which emboldens these teachers to maltreat, harass and intimidate Muslim students. It is an undisguised attempt to scare the Muslim girl-child from pursuing education.

“Osun State government under Governor Isiaka Oyetola issued a circular after some school authorities started behaving funny despite a subsisting court pronouncement and there has been no hijab controversy in the state since then. But in Lagos public schools, principals and headmasters still demand government’s circular when Muslims cite the judgement of the Court of Appeal.

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“In retrospect, we remember that LASG banned the use of hijab about seven or eight years ago, arguing that it was not part of the approved school uniform for pupils. But the history of school uniform shows that the present school uniform being used in the whole of Southern Nigeria was designed by the British colonial masters who were, essentially, Christians and who, expectedly, designed a school uniform that was, and still is, suitable for Christians. Imposing it on Muslim children without regard for their faith is therefore insensitive, tyrannical and unacceptable.

“It is natural for Muslims to seek to modify the Christian uniform to suit the dictates of their faith at least for the female Muslim students who, according to the Glorious Qur’an, must not go out of their homes without wearing hijab (Qur’an 24:31; 33:59), hence the introduction of the hijab.

“But the government reacted to this development by banning hijab. Following the ban, Lagos Muslims argued that public schools are funded by the government from tax payers’ money and if it is true that Muslims in the state also pay tax, then their interests must be taken into account. Besides, Lagos is a cosmopolitan state, therefore, the policies of the state government must take into consideration the heterogeneity of the culture of its citizens.

“To challenge the ban on hijab, two 12-year-old girls under the aegis of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Lagos State Area Unit, filed a suit at the Ikeja High Court, Lagos, seeking redress and asking the court to declare the ban as a violation of their rights to freedom of thought, religion and education.

“On 17th October, 2014, Justice Modupe Onyeabor dismissed the suit instituted against the Lagos State Government and declared hijab illegal in public schools (https://www.channelstv.com/2014/10/17/court-upholds-lagos-ban-hijab-use-public-schools/; https://dailypost.ng/2014/10/18/muslim-students-reject-court-ruling-hijab-ban-lagos/).

“The students approached the Court of Appeal and the latter, presided over by Justice A. B. Gumel, set the High Court judgement aside in a unanimous decision on case CA/L/135/15 between Lagos State Government, Asiyat AbdulKareem (through her father) Moriam Oyeniyi and Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria on Thursday, 21st July, 2016 (https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/207298-court-appeal-grants-lagos-public-school-students-right-wear-hijab.html).

“In his lead judgment, Justice Gumel held that the use of the hijab was an Islamic injunction and also an act of worship, hence it would constitute a violation of the appellants’ rights to stop them from wearing the hijab in public schools. The appellate court further held that the lower court erred in law when it held that the ban on hijab was a policy of the Lagos State Government.

“It is important to note that LASG took the case to the Supreme Court and requested for stay of execution of the appellate court’s decision but this was rejected on 7th February 2017 (https://punchng.com/lagos-takes-hijab-case-supreme-court/). The legal implication of this is that the status quo ante (i.e. the pronouncement of the Court of Appeal which approved the hijab before LASG approached the Supreme Court) must be maintained. Anything otherwise will be contempt of court.

“But it has been impunity galore since the Appeal Court approved the use of hijab as Lagos school authorities have turned female Muslim students into objects of ridicule, harrassment and persecution on account of their wearing hijab. The school authorities claimed they were unaware of the judgement of the Appeal Court which was favourable to use of hijab.

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“The position of Muslims in Lagos State has always been that if the teachers claim that they are unaware of the judgement of the Court of Appeal or that they are not quite sure of the position of the state government, a circular emanating from LASG or the state’s Ministry of Education will clarify the government’s position. This was what the government of Osun State did when teachers were reluctant to allow use of hijab in Osun schools after an Osun High Court declared the hijab constitutional. A circular was issued and the matter was put to rest.

“MURIC affirms that fundamental human rights are inalienable rights. They are not ordinary priviledges and their enjoyment is a major parameter for measuring good governance. In addition, compliance with the appeal court judgement on hijab which was delivered on 21st July, 2016 is critical to the affirmation of respect for the rule of law by the LASG.

“It is therefore mandatory that the LASG ensures that the Ministry of Education, the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), tutors general, principals, headmasters and teachers of public schools are instructed to obey the appeal court ruling. The only official instrument known for doing this is the issuance of a government circular directing these organs and officials to allow female Muslim students who wish to use hijab to do so.

“Only thus will the government’s good intention become manifest to all. The absence of a circular has created a communication gap as well as a sharp contradiction between the friendly attitude of the state’s executive governor and the hostile mien of authorities of public schools towards the use of hijab. The time to issue the circular is now, before Lagos Muslims start thinking of dragging the state government, its education agencies and school authorities to court for contempt.”

The Eagle

Related Topics:circular Featured government hijab lagos state MURIC

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How Bandits Killed Two, Abducted 18 in Kaduna Village Raid

Published

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November 7, 2026

Trends Admin

Kaduna State Police Command spokesperson, Mansir Hassan

How Bandits Killed Two, Abducted 18 in Kaduna Village Raid

Two residents have been killed while at least 18 others, including women and children, were abducted after armed bandits attacked Akwando community in Kuturmi, Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The attack reportedly occurred around midnight on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, when the gunmen stormed the community and launched an assault on residents in their homes.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attackers killed two people before taking several villagers away to an unknown destination.

A security source familiar with the incident also confirmed the attack, telling Daily Trust that 18 residents were abducted while two people were killed.

“Yes, 18 villagers were abducted but two people were killed,” the source reportedly said.

The attack has heightened concerns over the worsening security situation in communities across the Kuturmi area, where residents have repeatedly suffered bandit attacks, killings and mass abductions.

The attackers had reportedly not contacted the families of the abducted residents or made any ransom demands as of the time the incident was reported.

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The deceased were identified as Irimiya Galadima, 41, and Benjamin Danlami, 32, by the Kuturmi Unity Development Association (KUDA).

However, the association gave a higher figure of 20 abducted residents, releasing their names in a statement jointly signed by its President, Dr Joseph Ariko, and Publicity Secretary, Manasseh Samuel Akwando.

Those listed include Usman Galadima, La’a’zarus Genesis, Madalin Markus, Happy Stephen, Lovet Ishaya, Afiniki Irimeya, Amina Ahmadu, Miracle Genesis, Hellen Irimeya and Musa Genesis.

Others are Janet Irimeya, Gloria Markus, Zila Stephen, Alis Ahmadu, Haske Ahmadu, Great Isiac, Hanatu Irimeya, Desmon Ishaya, Siam Shagari and Nansy Genesis.

The association expressed concern over repeated attacks on communities in Kuturmi land, recalling that an Easter Sunday attack on Ariko community reportedly killed five people at the scene, while another 17 victims subsequently died in captivity.

It also cited an attack on Awon community, where two people were reportedly killed and 11 others abducted.

According to KUDA, five of the abducted residents regained their freedom on November 3, but one reportedly died the following day. Another victim escaped, while five others died in captivity.

The association said the recurring attacks had forced residents to abandon their homes and farmlands, disrupted economic activities and created widespread fear across affected communities.

It further alleged that armed groups had restricted residents’ access to their ancestral lands, demanding levies before allowing them to cultivate their farms or harvest agricultural produce.

KUDA appealed to the Federal Government and the Kaduna State Government to urgently deploy adequately equipped security personnel to Akwando, Ariko, Awon and other vulnerable communities.

It also called for coordinated security operations to rescue the abducted residents, the establishment of permanent security posts, regular patrols and effective early-warning systems.

Meanwhile, some residents of Babban Saura PW in Millennium City, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, abducted since October 1, were still being held captive.

Among them are Hafsat Sikiru and her son, Abdulsalam. Her husband and the boy’s father, Sikiru Shuaibu, was reportedly killed while attempting to protect his family during the attack.

Their continued captivity comes despite the recent rescue of eight kidnap victims by security operatives during a forest operation. One of those rescued was a pregnant woman abducted from her residence in Millennium City on October 6.

Kaduna State Police Command spokesperson, Mansir Hassan, could not be reached for comment on the Akwando attack, while the state Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs had yet to issue an official statement at the time of reporting.

How Bandits Killed Two, Abducted 18 in Kaduna Village Raid

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Church Growth Is Not About Numbers’: Bishop Smith Champions Training for Small Churches

Published

7 hours ago

November 7, 2026

Trends Admin

‘Church Growth Is Not About Numbers’: Bishop Smith Champions Training for Small Churches

Concerned about the leadership challenges confronting independent and grassroots churches, Bishop James G. Smith, a veteran missionary with nearly three decades of international experience, is stepping up efforts to strengthen smaller congregations through ministerial training, mentorship and leadership development.

Smith, founder of Life and Power Global Ministry, Liberia, and owner of St. James Revival Assemblies, said the initiative was designed to equip church leaders with the spiritual knowledge, administrative skills and institutional capacity required to build sustainable ministries, regardless of their congregation’s size.

He made this known at a two-day ministers’ conference organised by his ministry on October 23 and 24, 2026, at Foursquare Gospel Church, Iba Housing Estate, Lagos.

The conference, tagged “Strength for the Journey of Ministry,” with the theme “Raising Strong and Effective Church,” brought together pastors, bishops, church leaders and ministers for spiritual enrichment, leadership development and capacity-building.

Smith disclosed that the initiative attracted representatives of about 68 churches and ministries, while the event report documented 64 participants.

Explaining the motivation behind the programme, the cleric said many independent and grassroots churches struggle with inadequate mentorship, weak administrative structures and limited access to the resources available to larger denominations.

Originally from Delta State, Smith spent 11 years pastoring in Nigeria before relocating to Liberia for missionary work about 29 years ago. His ministry has since focused on church planting, evangelism, leadership development and training ministers, with plans to extend the initiative to more countries.

He expressed concern that smaller congregations sometimes struggle to retain their members and maintain their identity, particularly when larger churches establish a presence in their communities.

However, he argued that the true strength of a church should not be determined by its numerical strength, physical structures or financial resources, but by the spiritual maturity of its members, the quality of its leadership and its commitment to evangelism.

“We are all working for one God, one purpose, one kingdom. All of the churches, whether a small church, grassroots church or giant church, we are all doing the same thing,” he said.

Smith therefore called for greater cooperation among Christian leaders, insisting that the growth of the Church required collective commitment rather than competition among congregations.

Discipleship, the foundation of sustainable growth

A central message of the conference was the need for churches to move beyond attracting worshippers to deliberately nurturing spiritually mature believers capable of sustaining their ministries.

Smith maintained that bringing people into the church was only the beginning of the responsibility of Christian leadership, stressing that members must receive proper biblical instruction, mentorship and practical guidance to enable them to contribute meaningfully to the growth of their congregations.

Drawing lessons from the ministry of Jesus Christ and His disciples, he urged pastors to invest in developing committed believers who could reproduce the values and teachings of Christianity across generations.

“If you have three members, and you disciple them, you have a church. If you have 20 members, and the 20 members are properly discipled, they can turn the city upside down,” he said.

He warned that large congregations without effective discipleship programmes risk producing spiritually immature members who could easily become vulnerable to misleading teachings.

The cleric also advocated functional leadership structures and administrative systems that would ensure continuity in church operations, even when the presiding pastor was unavailable.

Accountability, integrity in church administration

On church administration, Smith stressed the importance of transparency, integrity and accountability, particularly in the management of financial contributions and other resources.

He said church leaders must ensure that donations made for specific projects were used for their intended purposes, while members should be adequately informed about how church funds were managed.

“If the people give their money for a particular purpose, that purpose should be achieved,” he emphasised.

He equally urged ministers to demonstrate discipline in time management, programme coordination and their relationships with members, noting that effective leadership required both spiritual commitment and sound administrative practices.

Beyond administration, Smith highlighted the importance of prayer, evangelism, biblical teaching, fasting and spiritual preparedness in equipping ministers for the challenges of contemporary society.

Speaking on “The Necessity of Power in the Last Days,” he referenced Ephesians 6:10 and 2 Corinthians 10:3, encouraging ministers to remain spiritually grounded and steadfast in confronting the challenges of their calling.

He emphasised the need for a consistent relationship with God through prayer and the study of His Word, while cautioning against elevating personal convictions, traditions and preferences into doctrines unsupported by Scripture.

The bishop also reminded ministers that their physical well-being was important to effective service, urging them to get adequate rest and seek medical attention whenever necessary.

Christian leaders, ministers endorse initiative

The conference attracted several Christian leaders, including Rev. Dr. Mike Adeleke, PFN Chairman of Ojo Province; Bishop Vincent Paye Bagnoon; Apostle Veronica Ujah; Apostle Dr. Eddo Sylvanus of Foursquare Gospel Church, Iba Housing Estate; Pastor Iboro Promise Freedom; Bishop Kingsley Azuka of City of Priests Mega Church; Bishop-Elect James Esuku; and international gospel artist Praise Eddo.

Other ministers and church workers also participated in the programme.

Smith expressed appreciation to the host pastor, Apostle Dr. Eddo Sylvanus, for providing the venue and supporting the conference, as well as the facilitators and participants whose contributions enriched the sessions.

Speaking with journalists, Apostle Mrs. Dorcas Okonye Azuka of City of Priests Mega Church commended the initiative and encouraged female ministers to maintain humility in their homes and create sufficient time for their families.

She stressed the need for women in ministry to strike a healthy balance between their spiritual responsibilities and family commitments.

Similarly, Bishop-Elect James Esuku addressed concerns about transactional approaches to Christianity and perceptions that the power of God was diminishing.

He maintained that God’s ways remained unchanged, urging Christians to develop personal relationships with Him rather than allow the misconduct of some individuals to undermine their faith.

Expanding the grassroots ministry network

Smith also expressed concern about religious teachings that promise quick success without adequately emphasising discipline, diligence, repentance and commitment to God’s Kingdom.

Reflecting on his return to Nigeria after years of missionary service abroad, he called for balanced Christian teachings that promote spiritual maturity, responsible living and genuine commitment to faith.

He particularly urged Nigerian youths to deepen their relationship with God and participate actively in church activities.

The Lagos conference, he explained, was part of a broader effort to reach grassroots churches and ministers across different locations.

According to him, the initiative had earlier taken him to Bayelsa and Port Harcourt in 2026, while another ministers’ conference was being planned for Lekki, Lagos, in March 2027.

The long-term ambition, he said, was to establish a network of ministers who could share knowledge, exchange experiences, strengthen their congregations and collectively contribute to the development of Christianity.

For Smith, the campaign goes beyond organising religious gatherings. It is an effort to build a stronger foundation for grassroots Christianity through properly trained ministers, accountable leadership, sustainable administrative structures and effective discipleship.

His central message is that the future strength of the Church will depend less on the size of its congregations and more on the quality, spiritual maturity, integrity and preparedness of the people leading and sustaining them.

Bishop James Smith at the middle, with Officials of PFN IBA estate,at the Ministers conference in Lagos, Nigeria.

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ADC Leadership Crisis: Why Two Federal High Court Judgments Do Not Conflict – Obono-Obla

Published

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November 6, 2026

Trends Admin

Obono-Obla

ADC Leadership Crisis: Why Two Federal High Court Judgments Do Not Conflict – Obono-Obla

By Newstrends Correspondent

A former Special Assistant to the President and legal practitioner, Okoi Obono-Obla, has dismissed claims that two recent Federal High Court judgments on the leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) are conflicting, insisting that the cases involved different plaintiffs, legal issues and reliefs.

Obono-Obla said the reaction of the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, to the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu on November 5, 2026, had introduced what he described as a misleading narrative into the public domain.

In a legal commentary titled “No Conflict of Judgments: Setting the Record Straight on the Two Federal High Court Decisions on ADC Leadership,” Obono-Obla argued that the judgment in the suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe against the ADC and four others was fundamentally different from an earlier ruling delivered by Justice Musa Liman.

The controversy followed a statement by the ADC, titled “Lifu Judgment: APC Wants to Set Nigeria on Fire,” in which the party reportedly questioned the latest judgment on the grounds that another Federal High Court had previously ruled on the party’s leadership dispute.

However, Obono-Obla maintained that the two cases were separate legal proceedings and should not be treated as contradictory decisions.

He explained that the first case, Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, was instituted by Hon. Leke Joseph Abejide, a serving member of the House of Representatives, who challenged the emergence of Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the ADC National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.

According to him, Justice Liman, in his judgment delivered on July 2, 2026, dismissed Abejide’s suit for lacking merit, holding that the matter concerned the internal affairs of the political party.

Obono-Obla said the second case, Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, was instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, who was the ADC’s elected National Deputy Chairman (North-East).

He explained that Gombe’s argument was based on the party’s constitution, particularly the succession procedure following the resignation of its former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu.

According to Obono-Obla, Gombe contended that the ADC constitution provided a mechanism through which he should have assumed the position of Acting National Chairman following Nwosu’s resignation.

He said Gombe consequently challenged the process that produced a caretaker committee led by Senator David Mark, describing it as unconstitutional and unlawful.

Obono-Obla noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was also joined in the suit because of its role in recognising and maintaining records of political party leadership.

He said Justice Lifu, after hearing the parties, found merit in Gombe’s arguments and declared the Mark-led caretaker committee illegal, while nullifying actions taken under it.

Explaining why the two judgments could not be regarded as conflicting, Obono-Obla said the legal principles governing res judicata and conflicting judgments required the parties, issues and reliefs involved in the cases to be substantially the same.

He argued that these requirements were absent in the ADC leadership cases because Abejide’s challenge was different from Gombe’s claim of a constitutional right to succeed the former party chairman.

He further maintained that the evidence and reliefs presented before the two judges were also different.

The former presidential aide also argued that judges of coordinate jurisdiction, such as two judges of the Federal High Court, were not bound by one another’s decisions in the same way that lower courts were bound by decisions of superior courts.

According to him, Justice Lifu was therefore not legally obligated to follow Justice Liman’s earlier decision, particularly as the two cases involved different facts and legal questions.

“To therefore claim that the judgment of 5th November 2026 conflicts with the judgment of 2nd July 2026 is to misunderstand the doctrine of precedent,” Obono-Obla stated.

He advised the ADC to pursue an appeal if it was dissatisfied with Justice Lifu’s decision, rather than relying on political statements questioning the circumstances surrounding the judgment.

Obono-Obla further cautioned against statements capable of creating the impression that the judiciary was being intimidated, insisting that the appropriate legal avenue for challenging a court decision was the appellate process.

He maintained that the Federal High Court had not contradicted itself, but had simply determined two different cases based on their peculiar facts and circumstances.

“The narrative of conflicting judgments should be discarded,” he added.

Obono-Obla, who writes from Abuja, is a legal practitioner and former Special Assistant to the President.