Supreme Court Approves Wearing Of Hijab In Lagos Schools After Years Of Legal Tussle.

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

This was disclosed in a ruling on Thursday delivered by the apex court in Abuja.

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

Supreme Court ruled that the ban violated the rights of the Muslim students to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, the dignity of human persons and freedom from discrimination guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution.

The court panel includes Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Justice John Inyang Okoro, Justice Uwani Aji, Justice Mohammed Garba, Justice Tijjani Abubakar, and Justice Emmanuel Agim.

The Amir (President) of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit, Miftahudeen Thanni, and other members of the organisation have welcomed the judgement.

In 2015, The state government banned the use of the hijab, insisting that it was not part of the approved school uniform for pupils.

Following the ban, some Muslims in the state filed a suit to seek redress and asked the court to declare the ban as a violation of their rights to freedom of thought, religion and education.