No Plan To Ban Hijab In Niger, Says Governor

Sequel to speculations that the state government was trying to ban hijab in schools, Niger State government has denied the reports.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the alleged statement by commissioner for Education, Hajiya Hadiza Asabe Mohammed, on how a female teacher will be comfortable wearing hijab to teach has sparked controversy with many speculating that the government will ban hijab in schools.

Findings revealed that at a meeting with principals, headmasters and other critical stakeholders in the education sector last Saturday, the state commissioner for Education, Hajiya Hadiza was alleged to have said she “sees no reason why a female teacher will wear Hijab and be comfortable with her teaching.’

In a swift reaction, Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago through his chief press secretary,  Alhaji Bologi Ibrahim, said the commissioner’s statement is contextual and does not reflect the position of the state government on the use of Hijab by women in any field of endeavour.

The chief press secretary disclosed that the commissioner’s meeting with the principals, headmasters and other stakeholders was organised to sensitise them on the strategic plans of the Bago-led administration to boost education as well as the impending screening and competency test for teachers in the state.

He said the state government is not, and has never been, against the wearing of hijab stressing that the commissioner’s statement must have been misconstrued.

Ibrahim said the wearing of hijab is a religious obligation and that the Supreme Court had, in June last year, ruled that the constitution allows Muslim students and, by implication, teachers to wear hijab.

“Niger State is a law-abiding state. Since the Nigeria Constitution allows Muslim students and teachers to wear the Hijab, the state government has the responsibility to ensure that the rights of the citizens are protected,” he stated.

The chief press secretary also confirmed that the commissioner has since disowned the story banning the use of long hijab in public schools stressing that it was the handiwork of mischief makers.

Ibrahim said the commissioner as a Muslim was not unaware of the importance of hijab and could not have been an impediment to its use.

He urged Nigerians to disregard the said media report in circulation stressing that it was just a calculated attempt targeted to discredit the commissioner as an individual and put the government of Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago to disrepute.