23rd November, 2023
PRESS
RELEASE:
ALLOW
FEMALE MUSLIMS IN LASTMA TO WEAR HIJAB - MURIC
Amidst
reports that Muslim women in the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA)
are facing harassment over the right to use hijab while in uniform, a Muslim
Rights advocacy group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the
authorities of LASTMA to approve the use of hijab without delay.
MURIC
based its call on the approval of hijab by the Nigerian Police since 4th March
2022. Muslim police women who desire to use hijab have since started to use it
on their uniform.
The
call was made on Thursday, 23rd November, 2023 in a press statement signed by
the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
His
full statement reads:
"There
have been reports of warnings and reprimands handed down to female Muslim
officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) who have
expressed desire to use hijab.
"The
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) frowns at this repressive attitude. We condemn
attempts to restrict the religious freedom of Muslims under any guise in
uniformed agencies. Hijab is an expression of freedom to practice and liberty
to manifest one's faith.
"Any
attempt to curtail workers' freedom of worship through the disapproval of hijab
constitutes a violation of their Allah-given fundamental human rights as
enshrined in Section 38(i)&(ii) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria.
"Therefore,
any circular, ordinance, rule, regulation, memorandum, parade instruction, oral
last order, signal, etc against the use of hijab anywhere in Nigeria is
illegal, illegitimate, unlawful and unconstitutional. Section 1(1)&(3) of
the Constitution declares the Nigerian Constitution supreme over all other
instructions emanating from institutions and agencies in the country and since
the same constitution stipulates freedom of religion, anything to the contrary
is ultra vires, null and void.
"We
therefore advise traffic agencies in all states of the federation, particularly
LASTMA authorities in Lagos to take a cue from the approval of hijab by the
Nigeria Police which came into effect since March 2022 by allowing female
traffic officers who wish to wear hijab to do so according to the law.
It
will be paradoxical for traffic law officers to break the law by illegally and
unlawfully encroaching on Allah-given fundamental human rights of Muslim
traffic officers to use hijab.
"America,
Britain, South Africa, etc are now in the league of countries whose female
Muslim soldiers, police and traffic officers use hijab without let or
hindrance. The use of hijab by Muslim women in uniformed services is therefore
a global practice. Nigeria joined the bandwagon when the Nigerian Police
approved the use of hijab for its female Muslim officers.
"If
indeed Lagos is the center of excellence, it should lead other states in
matters of civil liberties. This is why Lagos cannot afford to be left behind
in this issue of hijab for traffic officers. Lagos as the center of excellence
must be part of global best practices.
"Besides,
female Muslim police officers in Lagos State started using hijab from the
moment it was approved by the Nigerian Police in March 2022. In the name of
equity and fairness, their LASTMA counterparts cannot be deprived of the same
right moreso since many of them are already agitating for it. Neither can LASTMA
afford to be anti-Muslim.
"MURIC
therefore implores LASTMA authorities and their counterparts in other states to
allow female Muslim staff who wish to use hijab to do so. This is a matter of
civic right and existential guarantee. MURIC as a human rights group will
monitor this development in all the states of the federation. We hereby put all
our state branches on notice for effective monitoring and prompt notification
where there are breaches.
#Lastma
#Hijab
#Femalemuslimtrafficofficers
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Professor
Ishaq Akintola,
Executive
Director,
Muslim
Rights Concern (MURIC).
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