HURIWA Backs NYSC On Hijab Ban: Lambast Muric
“As one way of protecting the lives of youthful participants of the ongoing National Youth Service Scheme, the ban on wearing of Hijab (a typical Arabic dress code) by the management of NYSC is a welcomed idea that should be backed by lovers of peace and stability of Nigeria.”
With the aforementioned, the pro-democracy Non-Governmental Organization – Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA ) has denounced as unpatriotic, hypocritical, insensitive, emotive, sensational and smacks of religious extremism the condemnation by the Muslim Rights Concern ( MURIC) of the decision by Nysc management to ban wearing of Hijab to NYSC camps by participants for security reasons.
Specifically, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) warned the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Johnson Olawunmi against the restriction placed on Hijab at the orientation camps.
Director of the organization, Prof Ishaq Akintola said in a statement that the categorical statement by the NYSC DGbanning the use of Hijab by corps members was reckless, baseless and outrageous.
Brigadier General Olawunmi said during a courtesy call by the League of Muslims Youth in Da’awah in Abuja said the use of long Hijab in NYSC camps during orientation exercises remained prohibited.
He said it was unfortunate that in recent times, terrorist use ladies who wore long Hijab, plant IEDs under it to kill people.
But throwing their full weight of support for the decision by NYSC management to enforce extra security measures to protect the lives and property of corpers and staff of NYSCby banning the wearing of Hijab, the HUMAN RIGHT WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) said Nigeria has witnessed blood cuddling attacks by suspected female suicide bombers belonging to the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists and wondered why the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is making a mountain out of a mole hill by spreading false alarm and accusing the Director General of Nysc of recklessness.
"Nothing can be farther from the truth that an organisation that ought to be enlightened is engaging in spreading views that bears no relevance to the issue of Nigeria's endangered national security situation created by some Hijab wearing suicide bombers belonging to Boko Haram. Religiously speaking there's nothing discriminatory in making policy that aims at protecting the precious lives of Nigerians. Religion is first and foremost a faith practiced by the living and whatever positive and constructive measures put in place for the preservation of lives of religious adherents must be encouraged because only the living worship God", HURIWA said.
The Rights group said only persons living in fools’ paradise and deluding themselves about some extreme religious fantasies and cosmetic dress codes that are even completely unAfrican, that could be so reckless as not to realise the dangerous times that Nigeria is passing through in the hands of Islamic religious extremists in the name of Boko Haram, who have so far killed over 30,000 Nigerians of all faiths including attacks inside Mosques and Churches.
The Rights group said even countries on the West Coast of Africa with significant Muslim population such as Chad and Senegal have banned the wearing of Hijab for fear of suicide bombers who wear their suicide bomb belts and other devices concealed in Hijab dresses.
"To the best of our knowledge we think MURIC is just chasing shadows and seeking relevance with this jaundiced and toxic extreme view regarding an inoccuou policy put in place to protect lives".
HURIWA which also canvassed the nation-wide ban on wearing of Hijab said Section 14 (2) (b) provides that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”, and expressed shock that a group purportedly led by someone who has a professorial rank can play to the gallery and engage in spreading false alarm and half baked fundamentalist opinion. "Habit does not make a Monk the same way that Hijab does not make a good Muslim ".