Muslim women demand full enforcement of Hijab Rights at World Hijab Day {FULL STORY}

On education, Rofiat Tijani of MSSN Lagos Area Unit decried what she described as subtle but persistent discrimination in schools, despite Supreme Court judgments affirming the right of Muslim students to wear hijab.

A coalition of Muslim women organisations on Thursday at a briefing to commemorate the World Hijab Day, renewed calls for an end to discrimination against hijab-wearing women across Nigeria, urging governments and institutions to fully implement constitutional and judicial protections.

Speaking at a press conference held at the Lagos State Secretariat Community Central Mosque Hall, Ikeja, the coalition marked the global event under the theme “Unity in Hijab,” with a locally adopted theme of “One Sisterhood.”

Addressing journalists, Hajia Mutiat Orolu-Balogun, Executive Director of the Hijab Rights Advocacy Initiative (HRAI) said Muslim women in Nigeria were joining millions around the world to reaffirm the hijab as a symbol of faith, dignity and unity, not a basis for exclusion.

She explained that World Hijab Day, observed annually on February 1, was founded in 2013 by Bangladeshi-American activist Nazma Khan to promote religious tolerance and understanding.

According to her, the hijab cuts across ethnicity, class and ability, uniting Muslim women as one sisterhood.

Despite constitutional guarantees, Orolu-Balogun lamented that hijab-wearing women in Nigeria still face harassment and denial of rights in schools, workplaces and public institutions.

Speaking on “The Hijab: Faith, Not Fashion,” Maryam Abdur-Rasheed of PHF stressed that hijab is a divine command rooted in the Qur’an, not a cultural or political statement.

She cited Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution, noting that restricting the hijab violates the fundamental right to freedom of religion.

Raising concerns about minority communities, Kudrah Omotola Ogunmuyiwa of FOMWAN highlighted the plight of Igbo Muslim women, who she said face double vulnerability due to ethnicity and religion.

She condemned recent hate speech and threats against Igbo Muslims, calling on law enforcement agencies and community leaders in the South-East to act decisively.

The issue of inclusion also featured prominently, as Hussainat Akintola of Al-Muminaat drew attention to the challenges faced by Muslim women with disabilities.

She described widespread inaccessibility, insensitive treatment and exclusion from public and religious spaces, demanding disability-friendly mosques, inclusive policies and reasonable accommodations.

On education, Rofiat Tijani of MSSN Lagos Area Unit decried what she described as subtle but persistent discrimination in schools, despite Supreme Court judgments affirming the right of Muslim students to wear hijab.

She cited practices such as forced “tuck-in” rules, concealment under berets and threats of suspension as violations of the law.

Concerns were also raised about harassment at ports of entry and immigration points. Akanbi Maryam of Akhwaat alleged that hijab-wearing women are routinely forced to remove their hijabs for biometric screening, contrary to international standards and Nigerian regulations.

Similarly, Ummulkhayr Adeleke-Lawal of NASFAT condemned reports from driver’s licence centres, where Muslim women are allegedly denied biometric capturing unless they expose their ears. She noted that FRSC guidelines and international biometric standards do not require visible ears, describing the practice as discriminatory and unlawful.

Presenting the coalition’s demands, Nimat Salako of the Lagos State Secretariat Community Central Mosque and Riskiah Adam-Adedimeji of The Criterion called on the Federal Government, state governments, law enforcement agencies, educational institutions and regulatory bodies to issue clear directives, train personnel, sanction offenders and establish complaint mechanisms to protect hijab rights.

In a closing message, Dr. Halimah Ogunbekun of An-Nujabau emphasised unity, declaring that no Muslim woman should be left behind due to ethnicity, disability or location. She stressed that discrimination, not the hijab, is what divides society.

The coalition called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, governors, lawmakers and all Nigerians to uphold justice and constitutional fidelity, urging that 2026 be remembered as a year Nigeria chose unity over prejudice and equal rights over discrimination.