Christians and Muslims clashed in Ilorin, Kwara state capital today March 17 after the state government reopened 10 Christian schools which were initially shut down over a hijab controversy.
It was learnt that students wearing hijab were disallowed from entering Baptist School, Surulere by some protesting Christians.
The situation grew worse as angry Christian and Muslim faithful threw various objects including stones and plastic chairs at themselves.
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The security operatives close to the school had to call for reinforcement to calm the situation. The operatives dispersed them with tear gas.
During their protest, the Christians displayed placards with various inscriptions such as ‘No Hijab in Baptist Schools and all mission/grant-aided schools’, ‘Otoge, give us back our schools, among others.
Correspondent gathered that both Muslim and Christian organisations had mobilised their members to monitor activities at the reopened schools on Wednesday.
It was also learnt that there was a protest at C&S College, Sabo Oke, Ilorin.
The protesters reportedly dressed in white garments and caps and prevented Muslim pupils from entering the school with their hijab.
The government shut the 10 schools on February 19, 2021, following a crisis on the wearing of Hijab by Muslim female students who are attending the schools.
The state branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria said that it would not agree to the use of hijab in schools established by Christian missions, saying that they were surprised that the government was trying to make a decision on a matter which is still before the Supreme Court.
CAN said, “The body condemns the use of Hijab in Christian Missions Grant Aided Schools as this will cause discrimination in schools and allow terrorists to easily identify our children and wards.”
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On Tuesday, the state government announced that the schools can be reopened on Wednesday, March 17, 2021.
A statement signed by Mrs Kemi Adeosun, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development said that “the government is convinced that its policy to allow willing Muslim schoolgirls to wear their hijab 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.”
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