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Allow female Muslim LASTMA officers to wear hijab – MURIC tells Sanwo-Olu

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1 year ago

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Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola

Allow female Muslim LASTMA officers to wear hijab – MURIC tells Sanwo-Olu

Amidst reports that Muslim women in the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) are facing harassment over the right to use hijab while in uniform, a Muslim Rights advocacy group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the authorities of LASTMA to approve the use of hijab without delay.

MURIC based its call on the approval of hijab by the Nigerian Police since 4th March 2022. Muslim police women who desire to use hijab have since started to use it on their uniform.

The call was made on Thursday, 23rd November, 2023 in a press statement signed by the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement reads: “There have been reports of warnings and reprimands handed down to female Muslim officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) who have expressed desire to use hijab.

“The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) frowns at this repressive attitude. We condemn attempts to restrict the religious freedom of Muslims under any guise in uniformed agencies. Hijab is an expression of freedom to practice and liberty to manifest one’s faith.

“Any attempt to curtail workers’ freedom of worship through the disapproval of hijab constitutes a violation of their Allah-given fundamental human rights as enshrined in Section 38(i)&(ii) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Therefore, any circular, ordinance, rule, regulation, memorandum, parade instruction, oral last order, signal, etc against the use of hijab anywhere in Nigeria is illegal, illegitimate, unlawful and unconstitutional. Section 1(1)&(3) of the Constitution declares the Nigerian Constitution supreme over all other instructions emanating from institutions and agencies in the country and since the same constitution stipulates freedom of religion, anything to the contrary is ultra vires, null and void.

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“We therefore advise traffic agencies in all states of the federation, particularly LASTMA authorities in Lagos to take a cue from the approval of hijab by the Nigeria Police which came into effect since March 2022 by allowing female traffic officers who wish to wear hijab to do so according to the law.

It will be paradoxical for traffic law officers to break the law by illegally and unlawfully encroaching on Allah-given fundamental human rights of Muslim traffic officers to use hijab.

“America, Britain, South Africa, etc are now in the league of countries whose female Muslim soldiers, police and traffic officers use hijab without let or hindrance. The use of hijab by Muslim women in uniformed services is therefore a global practice. Nigeria joined the bandwagon when the Nigerian Police approved the use of hijab for its female Muslim officers.

“If indeed Lagos is the center of excellence, it should lead other states in matters of civil liberties. This is why Lagos cannot afford to be left behind in this issue of hijab for traffic officers. Lagos as the center of excellence must be part of global best practices.

“Besides, female Muslim police officers in Lagos State started using hijab from the moment it was approved by the Nigerian Police in March 2022. In the name of equity and fairness, their LASTMA counterparts cannot be deprived of the same right moreso since many of them are already agitating for it. Neither can LASTMA afford to be anti-Muslim.

“MURIC therefore implores LASTMA authorities and their counterparts in other states to allow female Muslim staff who wish to use hijab to do so. This is a matter of civic right and existential guarantee. MURIC as a human rights group will monitor this development in all the states of the federation. We hereby put all our state branches on notice for effective monitoring and prompt notification where there are breaches.”

Allow female Muslim LASTMA officers to wear hijab – MURIC tells Sanwo-Olu

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Why governors’ forum is silent on Rivers emergency, by DG

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3 days ago

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March 23, 2025

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Why governors’ forum is silent on Rivers emergency, by DG

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) yesterday attributed its neutral position on the recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State to the need to steer clear of taking positions that may alienate members with varying political interests.

Taking positions on contentious partisan issues, the NGF said, would not augur well for it, especially in view of its past experience in fundamental division.

Notwithstanding, the declaration of the state of emergency by President Bola Tinubu yesterday generated more kudos and knocks from across the country.

Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado, said the action of the president was meant to ensure protection of lives and restoration of law and order in the state, while the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, said his principal  was required  to “avert needless harm and destruction .”

National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, said Tinubu, by his action, cleared what had manifested as a constitutional crisis in Rivers state.

But former President Goodluck Jonathan saw it from a different perspective.

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He described “abuse of office and power by the three arms of government in the country“ as a dent on Nigeria’s image.

The NGF, in a statement by its Director General Abdulateef Shittu, said it is essentially “an umbrella body for sub-national governments to promote unified policy positions and collaborate with relevant stakeholders in pursuit of sustainable socio-economic growth and the well-being of the people.”

It added: “As a technical and policy hub comprising governors elected on different platforms, the body elects to steer clear of taking positions that may alienate members with varying political interests.

“In whatever language it is written, taking positions on contentious partisan issues would mean a poor sense of history — just a few years after the forum survived a fundamental division following political differences among its members.

“Regardless, the Forum is reputed for its bold positions on governance and general policy matters of profound consequences, such as wages, taxes, education and universal healthcare, among others.”

It asked for “the understanding of the public and the media, confident that appropriate platforms and crisis management mechanisms would take care of any such issues.”

Why governors’ forum is silent on Rivers emergency, by DG

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Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi

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4 days ago

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March 22, 2025

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Chairman of the Senate Services Sunday Karimi

Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi

Chairman of the Senate Services Sunday Karimi has hailed President Bola Tinubu for the decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.

 He told reporters on Friday in Abuja that the President acted in the best interest of the State and Nigeria, having taken his decision in compliance with the Constitution.

“No President or government worth a name, will fold its arms and watch a political situation deteriorate to what we saw unfolding in Rivers State.

“We saw that bombing of pipelines had begun, and the security situation was getting worse with the tension everywhere”, Karimi stated.

Karimi, who represents Kogi-West on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), recalled the “fatherly role” Tinubu had played in the crisis since 2023 in a bid to get the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara to reach an understanding, to no avail.

He explained: “We were all here in 2023 when Mr President called that truce meeting at the Aso Rock Villa. There was the eight-point agenda for settlement reached between the factions.

“When Nigerians expected that progress should be made to achieve peace, things started deteriorating considerably to a point where the governor demolished the House of Assembly building and administered the state with only three legislators.”

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Karimi observed that with the recent judgment of the Supreme Court, which gave the upper hand to the 27 lawmakers loyal to the camp of the FCT Minister, matters merely got worse in the State as the lawmakers were set to impeach the Governor.

“What did you expect would be the implications? There would have been more destruction, killings and economic losses for the country.

“With the bombings that had already started, it was a matter of time before the whole state would be engulfed in flames. No responsible President would sit, arms folded, and allow that to happen “ he added.

The senator further argued that it took “painstaking efforts” by the administration to raise daily crude oil production to around 1,800 barrels, noting that Nigeria’s economy was already “witnessing a rebound under the renewed hope projects of the government.”

“Allowing the situation in Rivers to get worse before he would act, wouldn’t have helped the state or Nigeria as a country in any way.

“Mr. President intervened at the right time, and his actions are covered by law,” he said.

Karimi also spoke on the emergency declaration  in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and a couple of other states by former President Goodluck Jonathan without removing the Governors from office or suspending the state assemblies.

According to him, the case with those States was not generated by political crises but rather security concerns.

“So, I will advise those comparing the two scenarios to remember that one was purely about security threats resulting from the insurgency caused by Boko Haram, while that of Rivers is clearly political.

“It was the proper thing to do to suspend the political actors in the two factions to allow for tensions to diffuse. Nigerians should appreciate the President for the action he has taken so far,” he stated.

Sen. Karimi also noted that there was no cause for alarm as the National Assembly had indicated that the emergency rule could be reviewed as soon as there were signs that things could quickly normalise in Rivers State.

 

Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi

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Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibas

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7 days ago

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March 19, 2025

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Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibok-ete Ibas 

President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Vice Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (Retd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.

The administrator was sworn in on Wednesday after a short meeting with the President.

Tinubu announced the appointment of the retired naval chief at a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, when he declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor, Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly members.

The President said his decision was based on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, saying he could not continue to watch the political situation in Rivers escalate without taking concrete action.

The suspension of Fubara and other elected representatives has been rejected and condemned by many eminent Nigerians, legal luminaries, groups such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Femi Falana, the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigerian Bar Association.

However, the emergency rule has been praised by the pro-Nyesom Wike Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule, accusing Fubara of contravening the Supreme Court ruling on the political situation in the state.

Ibas was the Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021.

He is from Cross River State where he had his early education.

The new sole administrator went to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979 from where he proceeded to have a successful career in the Navy, rising through the ranks to the very top.

He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Nigerian Institute of Management.

President Muhammadu Buhari who appointed him as Chief of Naval Staff conferred him with the National Honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in 2022.

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