Kwara hijab crisis: Christians, Muslims clash, as govt. reopens schools

Uneasy calm and violence have been reported in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital  on Wednesday after the state government reopened no fewer than 10 schools shut last month over the use of hijab by Muslim female students.

The crisis as reported, started after Christian officials of Baptist School, Surulere disallowed the girls in Hijab from gaining access into the school.

This did not go down well with Muslim parents, resulting to arguments and eventual clash.

The situation further escalated as angry Christian and Muslim faithful threw various objects including stones and plastic chairs at themselves.

The security operatives close to the school intervened and had to call for reinforcement to calm the situation. The operatives dispersed them with tear gas.

It will be recalled that the hijab controversy started over three weeks ago when officials of Saint Anthony Secondary School prevented Muslim female students from gaining entrance to the school claiming that it is a missionary school.

Several meetings were held between Muslim and Christian leaders to resolve the issue with the government temporarily closing down the ten schools until the reopening on Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, the school reopening was announced on last night by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Kemi Adeosun.

The Permanent Secretary said, “The government is convinced that its policy to allow willing Muslim schoolgirls to wear their hijab (face covering) in public schools will lead to sustainable peace and communal harmony anchored on mutual respect and understanding.

“This path to mutual respect, understanding, and peace with regards to hijaab had long been adopted in all of the northern Nigeria and many states in the Southwest such as Lagos, Osun, Ekiti, and Oyo States.

“As the students resume normal classes, the government took special notice of the plight of those of them preparing for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and hereby directs affected schools to hold at least two-hour extra lesson for all the intending candidates after school hours daily.”

The ownership of the ten schools is still pending in the Supreme Court as both the High Court and Appeal Court affirmed the state government as the owner.

However, checks revealed that the Kwara state government took over all the missionary schools owned by Christians and Muslims since 1974.

The Christians angered by the situation said the government should wait for the outcome of the judgement of the Supreme Court before fully taking over the schools.