On behalf of the Muslim Parents Forum, International School, Ibadan (MPF ISI-UI) we received the news of the newly approved (optional) dress code for women in Police, which in essence is an approval of hijab use among Muslim women in the Nigerian Police, with great hope for a better Nigeria, where full rights to manifestation of citizens’ religious beliefs will be achieved soon.
The operational word – optional, resonates with our beliefs and demands at the ISI Muslim Parents Forum and other fora that uniforms should not be used to exclude adherents of the Islamic faith from aspiring to quality education or any legitimate employment opportunities.
We, therefore, feel vindicated that our struggle does not only have divine support, but also resonates with human rational thinking.
This gesture, like earlier ones by different Schools of Nursing in different parts of Nigeria as well as Nigerian Air Force schools, has put paid to the feeble and infantile argument in some quarters that the Hijab and official uniforms are mutually exclusive.
Our question now is which other uniform is more official than that of the military and paramilitary? Definitely not a secondary school uniform!
While, we wish to appreciate the Inspector General of Police and the entire management of the Nigerian Police for taking this important step at actualising an important constitutional provision, we also want to call on the managements of other uniform-wearing institutions in the country to tread the same path of honour as the Police management.
As for us at the ISI Muslim Parents Forum, we are further encouraged by this constitutional and rational act by the number one law enforcement agency in the country to continue demanding for our daughters’ rights to use their Hijab along with their uniforms within and outside the school premises without molestation.
We urge all well-meaning individuals to continue supporting us to achieve this legitimate and noble cause.
It will be recalled that the Nigeria Police on Friday March 4, 2022 approved a new and improved dress code for Women Officers which permits them to wear stud earrings, and headscarf under their berets or peak caps as the case may be while in uniform.
May Nigeria Police under the able leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc, continue to grow from strength to strength.
Signed .
Abdur-Rahman Balogun
Chairman, ISI-MPF and Chairman, Coalition of Muslim Groups for Hijab Rights.
March 5, 2022 .
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