The Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago has said that the State is not against the wearing of Hijab by female Muslims.
He made this clarification while reacting to a social media report claiming that the state’s Commissioner for Education Hajiya Hadiza, denounced wearing Hijab by teachers.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary Bologi Ibrahim in a statement said wearing Hijab is a religious injunction and has constitutional backing.
According to Ibrahim, the commissioner of education was quoted out of context and being a Muslim, would never speak against the Hijab.
Hajiya Hadiza was quoted as saying that she ‘sees no reason why a female teacher will wear Hijab and be comfortable with her teaching’.
The statement partly read, “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 endeavor.
“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.
“The state government is not, and has never been, against the wearing of Hijab and that the commissioner’s statement must have been misconstrued.
“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 implications, teachers to wear Hijab.
“The commissioner, as a Muslim, was not unaware of the importance of Hijab and could not have been an impediment to its use.
“Niger State is a law-abiding state. Since the Nigeria Constitution allowed Muslim students and teachers to wear the Hijab, the state government has the responsibility to ensure that the rights of the citizens are protected.”
