The Kwara State Governor, Abdul Rahman Abdul Razaq has said all the 10 schools where Muslim students were denied rights to use the Hijab would remain closed pending announcement of the government’s position on the use of the Muslim head covering (hijab) in the schools.
The State had on Friday ordered the immediate closure of the ten ‘grant-aided’ schools in Ilorin, the State capital, shortly after the Muslim community peacefully protested the forceful removal of Hijab on Muslim female students by the management of the schools.
In a press release issued on Sunday, the Secretary to the Kwara State Government, Prof. Mamma Saba Jibril said the decision was necessary to avert any breakdown of law and order while the government concludes consultations with relevant stakeholders.
He, therefore, urged members of the public to remain calm and peaceful, adding that the official pronouncement of the government’s position is likely to be this week.
“The government urges parents, officials, and authorities at the affected schools to maintain peace and avoid making comments or doing anything that could cause further misunderstanding and heat up the polity,” he added.
