NSCEA Rejects Approval Of Hijab For Policewomen, Says, It’s an Islamization process and Agenda

Re: ‘Landmark development’ — MURIC hails approval of hijab for policewomen

Nigeria Police is one of the constitutional bodies which are not meant to reflect any religion -NSCEA

Following a release titled, :‘Landmark development’ — MURIC hails approval of hijab for policewomen by BRIDGET EDOKWE on MARCH 7, 2022, Nigerian Supreme Council for Ecclesiastical Affairs (NSCEA), Secretary to Elder’s Bishop Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies says, “NSCEA utterly rejects approval of Hijab for Policewomen, says, “it’s an Islamization process and agenda and not any form of Landmark development. Those cooking this bitter soup will have to eat it in Nigeria as they continued to sow seeds of discord.”

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), an Islamic rights advocacy group, has commended the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for approving the use of hijab for female officers. In a statement on Friday, Ahmad Galadima, chairman of the Zamfara MURIC chapter, said the development is another way to encourage religious freedom in the country.

According to him, “The new dress code allows female officers to use headscarves, as well as stud earrings, under their berets and peak caps while on uniform. Galadima said many female officers have complained of being uncomfortable in their uniforms, adding that the hijab will not stop them from performing their duties efficiently.

“MURIC hereby expresses deep appreciation to the Nigeria police high command, particularly the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, for listening to the pleas and advocacies of MURIC and other Muslim groups which have been demanding the use of hijab in the security and uniformed agencies for decades,” the statement reads.

In the view of Nigerian Supreme Council for Ecclesiastical Affairs (NSCEA) the press release is a serious pointer, “Acknowledging that the development is actually an Islamisation process in the Big Nigerian Islamic Agenda.”

They acknowledged, “This is a landmark development in the history of the struggle for Muslim civil rights. It is the greatest news of the century and the beginning of a new dawn. It is another bite from the dividends of democracy for Nigerian Muslims.

“We thank all those who have worked behind the scene in collaboration with MURIC, particularly the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), and Senator Ibrahim Shekarau. Equally worthy of mention are various Islamic organisations in the country.

“It has been a long road in our struggle for recognition of hijab in the security agencies. Its approval by the police signals hope for our dear country, Nigeria. The wind of freedom is blowing.”

Further, “MURIC appeals to other security agencies to approve hijab for their female Muslim staffers who wish to use it. This appeal goes to uniformed security agencies like the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Immigrations and Customs as well as para-military bodies and traffic formations like the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA).

But NSCEA says, “the development is rather unfortunate and would be regretted in the future by Nigerian unborn generations, if care is not taken and the approval reverted.”

We would recall this is parallel to ‘Nigeria Law school’s approval of the use of hijab during call to bar’, in a report on June 22, 2018. The Social Media was agog with the reports of the decision of the Nigerian Law School which first rejected it, to again formally call to Bar, one hijab wearing Firdausi Amasa, This was how they escalated the case of this young female lawyer from University of Ilorin who was disallowed to perform the ceremony because she refused to remove her hijab, until they finally succeeded.

MURIC took over the young lawyer’s case, when she was turned down by authorities of the Law School for the her Call to Bar because was refused to removed her hijab. According to the later reports, she would be admitted along with other young lawyers in July in Abuja. Subsequently, Prof. Ishaq Akintola commended the Nigerian Law School, the body of Benchers and the Council of Legal Education for calling Firdaus Amasa to bar with her hijab on. Akintola, who is the Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.

He said the Nigerian law school had succeeded in restoring the confidence of Nigerian Muslims in legal education by giving recognition to the identity of Amasa. The Nigerian law school called Amasa and 11 other Muslims to bar on Tuesday; they were allowed to wear their hijab as they joined other 1,550 students.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Amasa was denied entry into the hall for the ceremony in December 2017. “We also commend all Islamic organisations that showed interest in the struggle to liberate the Nigerian Muslim woman from the shackles of neo-colonialism as epitomized by the Amasa, MUSIC added. Thus, ‘Nigeria Law school approved the use of hijab during call to bar’ in a news report on June 22, 2018.

This are indubitable evidences of the Islamization process and agenda fast forwarding it self in Nigeria which is rather a flowed development that needs to be corrected in a secular state.

The fact is that, “The hijab cannot serve as bullet proof, it will not sanitize the police as an institution, it will not make the police more effective in its operation. So what is the use of hijab after all if not a calculated effort and attempt to acculturate, arabize, fulanize and Islamize Nigeria, I would recall once I was in an hospital in to visit a patient in Ilorin Kwara state where all the nurses were donned in hijab, specifically “black hijabs’, and I had wondered to what end is this madness? Is it to make the patients fearful or induce their fast recovery!

It’s important to at this point serve a notice of warning to other non-Muslim dominated countries, where female police officers use the hijab, as in Australia, Canada, Sweden, UK, USA etc,. and there is no noise of Islamization yet, it’s time to wised up like Nigerians to know its a grand style of domination by the Arab world in your own environment by proper arabization and Islamization. No need to wake up to this realization when it’s too late someday.

However, you may care to explore this link to know some as well have wisen up. No one wants religious radicalism, crime, violence, anti-social behaviour etc. or even for their country to be overrun and taken away from them all in the name of any religion at all: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/sudan-ends-30-years-of-islamic-law-by-separating-religion-state/articleshow/77976896.cms

The issue of the use of of hijab in Christian schools is still brewing in some states in Nigeria. Again, I could recall sometime ago, I read an article titled,
“When Ignorance Is Not Bliss: A must Read!” It reads in part:

“Thanks for your request to give you a copy of the Federal Ministry of education 9 year basic education curriculum on “Religion and National Values” book. The book was a product of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council ( NERDC), a parastatal, under the Ministry of Education.

The issues with the curriculum

1. On pages 17 and 46 of the “Religion and National Values” curriculum for Primary one to three (Primary 1-3) are statements that are not only inciting but derogatory to a particular religious belief and faith (Christianity).

Specifically

a) On page 17 under Theme Islamic studies and Sub theme Sarah and Tahdib
Primary 1 to 3 pupils in their formative years are taught
the Supremacy of Prophet Mohammed and the Quran over all others.
That Mohammed was the seal of all the Prophets, sent to the whole world and Quran the final guidance of Allah to mankind.

b) In page 46 of the same book produced with tax payers money who include Muslims and non Muslims

That
Prophet Isa known to Christians as Jesus Christ is not the son of God
That Jesus was not crucified.
What a blasphemy.

The implications are the creation of a sense of supremacy of Islam over other faiths and completely denigrating Christianity.

If this has been restricted to Muslims alone, that could have been excused, but putting it in a curriculum for all is provocative and insulting.

The Nigeria Christian Graduate Fellowship.and CAN took this matter up with the executive director of NERDC and his team in Abuja, with the recommendations that, The offending statements should be expunged from the curriculum and this was done and the complainant positively addressed.

According to the author of the article, the main problem is, “the plot of the Muslim community in Nigeria, which speaks for itself and is shamelessly deplorable: to plant disrespect and CONTEMPT for Christ in the hearts our of impressionable infants by painting Christ as an inferior spiritual being to their Mohammed.

And to in the process set on fire the hearts of the Christian community in Nigeria. We are still recovering from the scourge of Boko Haram. We are presently neck-deep in the raping, killing adventures of Islamic terrorist, banditry, killer herdsmen.

Yet here they come with a new calamity: Educational Curricular Terrorism (ECT) by the elite front of Boko Haram who find themselves in academic authority. In this front, they are using Islamic Jihad agents in the Muslim designed and dominated Nigerian Educational Research & Development Council (NERDC). Shall their appetites for crises have no end? When shall Muslims’ warehouse of conflicts and crises and the thirst for conflagration end? I mean, those among them who are guilty and hate peaceful coexistence?

Ironically, this promotion and celebration of hijab is going on as school uniforms and police wears in Nigeria, at a period when we read news headlines such as, “President Buhari – Hijab May Be Banned”.

It would be recalled in 31 DECEMBER 2015, This Day, President Muhammadu Buhari has said that” his government may ban the use of hijabs by Muslim women, if the suicide bombings continue without end, adding that it has no cogent intelligence on the fate of the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram almost two years.

Buhari admitted as much yesterday during his maiden presidential media chat broadcast live from the State House in Abuja. Despite the absence of intelligence, he said government was still making efforts to rescue the Chibok girls and would be willing to negotiate their release, but would want to make sure they are negotiating with credible leaders of the Boko Haram terror group.

According to him, “We are keeping our options open with Boko Haram on the Chibok girls on the condition that they can guarantee that the girls are safe and alive.” So what has changed! From Boko Haram to ISWAP, Jihadists to Bandits and what more. Check out Nigeria terrism index: Nigeria moved to sixth in the latest Global Terrorism Index (GTI) of the world. https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria-improve-by-two-places-on-global-terrorism-index/

Here’s a list of countries that banned burqa or hijab

France
The burqa was banned in public for the first time in Europe when France did so. It all began in 2004 with a ban on students wearing religious symbols in state-run institutions. However, in April 2011, the government took a step further and made full-face veils illegal in public. For violating the restriction, women may face fines of up to 150 euros as well as citizenship instructions. Whereas, a 30,000 euro fine awaits anyone who forces a lady to cover her face.

Belgium
In 2011, Belgium followed France’s lead and implemented bans on full-face-covering clothing such as the burqa or the hijab. The act prohibited the wearing of clothes that conceals the wearer’s identity in public areas. Breaking the law can result in a fine or up to seven days in prison.

Bulgaria
In the aftermath of Islamist extremist attacks in Europe, Bulgaria’s parliament outlawed face veils in public in 2016. The nationalist Patriotic Front coalition’s “burqa ban” law replicates similar measures taken in other Western European countries.

Denmark
Denmark joined other European countries in prohibiting face-covering clothing, including Islamic veils like the hijab and burqa, in 2018.

Switzerland
In March 2021, Switzerland became one of the European countries to outlaw burqas. After slightly over 51 per cent of Swiss voters voted in favour of the prohibition, it was implemented.

Netherlands
In the Netherlands, a prohibition on all full-face coverings, including some forms of Muslim attire, went into effect in 2019. The implementation of the ‘Burqa Ban’ took the Dutch government fourteen years. It was first enacted by a majority in the Lower House in 2005, but it did not pass constitutional challenges.

Austria
Face coverings have been illegal in Austria since 2017 when the Law Against Wearing Face Veils was passed. The law mandates that persons reveal their entire face, from chin to hairline. Violations can result in a fine of up to 150 euros.

Chad
Since two suicide bomb bombings in June 2015, women in Chad have been prohibited from wearing a complete veil. The prime minister, Kalzeube Pahimi Deubet, described it as “camouflage” and declared that all burqas on the market would be burned. People who wear them may be arrested and sentenced to prison. So far, Chad is the only Muslim-majority country to criminalise religious face veils.

Republic of Congo
The Republic of the Congo, often known as Congo-Brazzaville, became the first African government to outlaw the burqa in May 2015. In Congo-Brazzaville, Muslims account for less than 5 per cent of the population.

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s Cabinet approved a proposed ban on wearing full-face veils in public, including burqas, in April 2021, claiming national security reasons. Burqas were briefly outlawed in 2019 after more than 250 people were killed in suicide bombings on Easter Sunday.

As posited in another article, “Hijab for Police is bigotry” onMarch 11, 2022 by IGP, IPMAN, Usman Baba Alkali, “ The introduction of the Islamic hijab headdress for female police officers by the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, is a display of provocative bigotry and impunity. It must be reversed.

A statement issued on Friday, March 4, 2022 through the Force’s spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, claimed that the hijab dress code was approved “for optimum output and professionalism”.

The statement reads further: “The IGP noted that the Nigeria Police workforce has officers from every local government in the country with a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds, and an increased inclusion of female folks. This, therefore, brings the need to guarantee inclusion, gender mainstreaming, ethnic and religious diversity in the workplace for optimum output and professionalism”.

May we assure you that, this claim by the IGP is empty. It does not prove how the introduction of the Islamic religious headdress improves professionalism or workplace output. Also, the “diversity” claim is unsustainable unless the Police will also allow other kinds of headdresses worn across the various cultures of the country as part of the Nigeria Police uniform. That would make our policewomen look ridiculous.

The Nigeria Police is one of the constitutional bodies which are not meant to reflect any religion. Like the Army, Navy, Air Force, Customs, Prisons, Immigration and others, they have their roots in our colonial past. They are also designed as uniting elements, which is why their central commands have been maintained rather than regionalised. They reflect the concept of “unity in diversity”.

This new directive by IGP Usman Baba is being interpreted as yet another step to project Nigeria as an Islamic country, which is totally contrary to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Over the years, there has been this steady adoption of measures modelling Nigeria as an Islamic country, mainly through impunity.

The questions that remain unanswered are: how did the Arabic figurines (ajami in Hausa) become a permanent feature in our currency notes? Why is the motto of the Nigerian Army written in Arabic Islamic text and only interpreted to the rest of us as “Victory Belongs To God”? Who took these decisions, and on what authority?

We condemn the insidious coloration of our national institutions, establishments and symbols in a manner that projects Nigeria as a country of a particular religion. This is the handiwork of irresponsible religious extremists within government. It is capable of further worsening the instability that already threatens the survival of our country.

The Nigeria, Police should not be relegated to Hisbah Corps which implements Sharia law in Kano. The IGP has no right to give the Nigeria Police the outlook of a particular religion. He should mind his business of law enforcement. Only the Nigerian Police Council or the National Assembly should decide on any need to tamper with the uniforms of all military and security agencies.

Nigeria should actually be considering how to fully ban hijab and not to further promote it in times such as this. NSCEA regrets what is currently happening in the nation as it’s finally deterioration into is lamination, fulanization and arabization.

Finally, “an Indian court Tuesday upheld a ban on wearing hijab in class in the southern state of Karnataka, saying the Muslim headscarf is not an essential religious practice of Islam. The high court in Karnataka state delivered the verdict after considering petitions filed by Muslim students challenging a government ban on hijabs that some schools and colleges have implemented in the last two months.” A word is enough for the wise!

Read more

https://www.news9live.com/knowledge/hijab-row-complete-list-of-countries-that-have-banned-burqa-154140

http://opr.news/31d75dc7220315en_ng?link=1&client=newshttps://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/sudan-ends-30-years-of-islamic-law-by-separating-religion-state/articleshow/77976896.cms

https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria-improve-by-two-places-on-global-terrorism-index/

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/presidentialmediachat-we-may-ban-hijab-because-of-boko-haram-buhari/

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/06/nigeria-law-school-approved-use-hijab-call-bar/

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/07/muslim-group-commends-law-school-for-calling-amasa-to-bar/