KWARA: Media Watch Group condemns attack on protesting Muslim students, parents over Baptist school reopened hijab crisis
By KEMI KASUMU
The agreement reached by parties, both of Christians and Muslims, that no one would be found in connection with Islamaphobia as it regards anti-hijab activities in public schools in Kwara State has been breached by authorities of Oyun Baptist Grammar School, Ijagbo, Kwara State.
This happened as headship of the school not only went ahead and reactivated the proscribed attitude banning the use of hijab but also allegedly supervised attacks on the Muslim students and their parents, while protesting against the illegal action.
Against the backdrop of the attacks in Ijagbo, Kwara State, a non-governmental organisation, the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWG), has called for the arrest of all perpetrators of the violence that led to “killing and wounding of some Muslims at Oyun Baptist Grammar School Ijagbo Kwara State.”
This condemnation was contained in a statement issued and joined signed by Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim, National Coordinator, Sheikh Abu Sheriff, Chief Missioner of the Group in Kwara State, and copy of which was sent to The DEFENDER on Thursday.
The statement read, “Following the reports lodged with the Kwara State Government through the Kwara State Teaching Service Commission and Ministry of Education & Human Capital Development in the last three weeks, it was reported today (Thursday) that some people parading themselves as owners of Oyun Baptist Grammar School Ijagbo in Oyun Local Government today attacked Muslim Parents and Students in an attempt to continue the prevention of female Muslim students to enter the School unless they remove their hijab.
“The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria has condemned the criminal acts of some misguided elements within Ijagbo and Offa Axis of the State using religion to forment trouble which has led to wounding and killing of some people by some christian fanaticism the town today.”
According to statement, the group called on the Kwara State Commissioner of Police Mr. Tuesday Assayamoh, to ensure that all criminals involved in the crisis are arrested and prosecuted accordingly.
The statement recalled the two judgements delivered so far on hijab and ownership of schools formerly owned by Muslim and Christian Missions in Kwara State, which favoured the Kwara State Government as owners of schools.
It added that the judgements also favoured the use of hijab as fundamental human rights and called on security agencies to deal with anyone fomenting trouble with regards to same.
The group remarked that the matter had since April last year been amicably settled between Kwara State Government and the state branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
It then described using Ijagbo as fresh location of attack on Muslim students by some misguided elements as irreligious, unpatriotic and condemnable.
On the Appeal of the two judgements, which is at Supreme Court, the Media Watch Group noted that “trouble-makers have no regards for the rule-of-law that was why they went to Ijagbo to launch fresh attacks on Muslim students and their parents.”
The group, therefore, called on the state government to enforce its orders as contained in the circular released last year, which is being obeyed in all public schools in the interest of peace.
He noted that its call for enforcement of the orders was also in fulfillment of the fact that maintenance of peace, law and order is the responsibility of any responsible Government, failure of which there would be anarchy.
Copy of of executive circular enforcing the use of hijab in KWARA State public schools issued by the government last year below:
