Supreme Court Approves The Use Of Hijab In Lagos Schools

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has granted the use of hijab by female Muslim students in Lagos State Government-owned schools.

Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun held that the ban on hijab was discriminatory against Muslim students in Lagos State in the 80-page lead judgment.

Other Justices on the panel were Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Justice John Inyang Okoro, Justice Uwani Aji, Justice Mohammed Garba, Justice Tijjani Abubakar, and Justice Emmanuel Agim.

Wild jubilation greeted the verdict with the Amir (President) of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit, Miftahudeen Thanni, and other members of the organization seen shouting “God is great”.

The court upheld that the ban violated the Muslim students’ rights to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, the dignity of human persons, and freedom from discrimination guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution.

The court gave the judgment in an appeal – Lagos State Govt. and Mrs. V. Asiyat AbdulKareem with suit number SC/910/16 – on Friday in Abuja.

The court dismissed an appeal by the Lagos State Government and upheld the earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal which held that the ban on hijab was discriminatory against Muslim students in the state.

In a split decision, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has ruled that Muslim students can wear hijab in Secondary schools