The Kwara State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria has reacted negatively against the state government’s approval of the use of hijab by female Muslim pupils in public schools.

According to the association, the new policy would “cause discrimination in schools and allow terrorists to easily identify our children and wards”.

Kwara State government had last Friday closed down 10 Christian schools in Ilorin, the state capital, following tension on the wearing of hijab in the schools.

But while announcing the reopening of schools from Monday, March 8, 2021, in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Mamma Jibril, on Thursday, it said female Muslim students should be allowed to wear hijab in all grant-aided public schools in the state.

The statement titled, ‘Position of Kwara State Government on the Hijab Question in Public Schools,’ read in part, ‘Sequel to recent developments in our state over the status of the hijab in public/grant-aided schools, the state government has consulted widely with thought leaders and leaders of both Muslim and Christian communities with a view to clarifying issues and reaching a consensus.”

However, CAN, in a reaction, disagreed with the government over the use of hijab in schools established by Christian missions.

It also accused the government of taking a decision on a matter that was still before the Supreme Court.

The association’s reaction was contained in a communiqué after a stakeholders’ meeting attended by proprietors of grant-aided schools, heads of block and heads of different denominations, and jointly signed by its Secretary, Rev Reuben Ibitoye, and Publicity Secretary, Apostle Sina Ibiyemi.

It read in part, “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.

“Christian mission grant-aided schools should be returned to the owners promptly as most of these schools have churches besides them and unnecessary trespass may lead to the breakdown of law and order. Christian faithful should occupy all grants-aided schools.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Olu Adewara, proved abortive as he neither took calls nor replied to a text message sent to him.

Kwara State defends decision.

However, Kwara State Government said it approved the use of hijab by Muslim female students in its public schools after consultations with stakeholders and relevant laws in the state.

It also said it recognised the right of every child in public schools to freedom of worship.

The kidnapped students and staff of Government Science College Kagara, Niger State have finally regained freedom from the armed bandits in Niger State.

A top official involved in the counter revealed that they have finally regained their freedom.

Recall that Bubble Reports had reported the abduction of the boarding students by the bandits who were dressed in military uniforms on February 17, 2021.

A total of 27 students, three staff members, and 12 members of their family were abducted after the attack on the Kagara school in the early hours of Wednesday.

Details later…

Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has said that any attempt by the police, the army and the Department of State Services to arrest him, saying any effort to arrest him on Yorubaland will fail.

He said this during an interview with Punch on Friday, while reacting to the clash between him and security agents around the Guru Maharaji bus stop along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The Yoruba rights activist, who has been in the news for serving a quit notice on Fulani herdsmen in some parts of the South-West, said he was never invited before they attempted to arrest him.

Igboho, therefore, stated that he did not know why he was being targeted. He advised the Federal Government to focus on capturing Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, and invite Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, who has been meeting with bandits in recent times.

He said, “I was never invited. They just lay in ambush for me at Guru Maharaji and started shooting. They started shouting, ‘Where is Sunday Igboho?’ I identified myself and asked them what the problem was. They said I was under arrest and I said, ‘For what? On my father’s land? That was how it degenerated.

“When they noticed how tense everywhere was, they fled. They came in four Hilux vans and a Toyota Land Cruiser. There are bandits operating all over the place but people like me who are defending our fatherland are the ones you want to arrest. Why?”

When asked if the police had invited him, he said, “I have not been invited. What have I done to warrant an arrest? Why do they want to arrest me? What have I done?”

On whether he would honour a police invitation if invited, Igboho said, “Go and ask them to invite Gumi and Shekau first before disturbing me. Let them face the bandits instead.”

When asked if he would go into hiding, he said, “What for? I am in the neighbourhood. I cannot run.”

He added that he had returned to his base in Ibadan.

He also revealed that his bank account which was initially frozen has had the restriction lifted.

SOURCE: Saturday Punch

The Lagos state police command today arraigned the law offending driver who knocked a police officer off the bridge along the International airport road on February 24, before an Oshodi mobile court.

The video of the driver who was driving against traffic and trying to evade arrest from security agents surfaced online on Thursday, February 25. The driver in the process hit the police officer identified as David Zapania.

The driver was arraigned before the court on six charges this morning which include Driving against traffic (one way), Resisting arrest, Reckless and dangerous driving, Driving with an invalid driver’s license, Assaulting a police officer, and attempted murder. The police say he will be arraigned in another court for the attempted murder charge.

At the ruling, no bail or fine was given and he will be remanded in Badagry prison until March 26 for the next hearing.

Gunmen suspected to be bandits attacked the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Talata Mafara local government area of Zamfara State and abducted ‘300’ girls of the school.

According to gathered reports by Bubble Reports, the gunmen stormed the school premises in the early hours of today, Friday, February 26.

Zamfara Government confirms the abduction

The Zamfara state government confirmed the abduction through the state commissioner of Security and Home Affairs, Abubakar Dauran, said the number of students abducted is yet to be ascertained.

“I can confirm to you now that we have sadly received the report on the abduction of the students of GGSS Jangebe and right now, I am on my way to the school.

“At this moment, l cannot say how many students were taken away by the gunmen until l get there, but we have already mobilized security men and members of the vigilantatè who are now in pursuit of the abductors,” the commissioner said.

State Police gives report

Zamfara Police Commissioner, Abutu Yaro disclosed that about 317 girls were abducted.

Yaro said a joint search and rescue operation is already underway with a view to rescuing the 317 students kidnapped by the gunmen. 

The police commissioner also disclosed that the Force Commander of Operations Hadarin Daji, Major General Aminu Bande, Brigade Commander 1 Brigade, Nigeria Army Gusau, and other state government officials led a heavily armed Re-enforcement team to Jangebe to complement the ongoing rescue operation in the locations where the students were believed to have been whisked to.

He appealed to everyone to be calm as joint efforts of the police and other security agencies will surely lead to a successful rescue of the students.

Witnesses reports

One of the teachers at the school claimed that close to 550 students were abducted by gunmen.

The teacher who spoke to Daily Trust said out of 600 students of the school, about 50 were left behind.

The teacher said; 

“Initially, the school authorities prevented them from going with the remaining students but they grew angrier and began to pull down doors and windows of the buildings in the school and the school authority had to yield to their demands.

“When the gunmen laid siege, they attacked the soldiers stationed in the community before they gained entry into the school.

“Some people told us that they stationed vehicles at the outskirts of the school.

“Security operatives and the local vigilante groups are trailing the gunmen and dozens of other residents have volunteered to take part in the search.”

Another staff of the school who spoke on condition of anonymity said,

”The gunmen in their hundreds invaded the town around 2 am on Friday, shot sporadically in the air to scare the residents before coming into the school. After taking away most of the students, we rounded up those that escaped or hid from the bandits and conducted a census where we counted 54 students and we are still searching to see if we can get more.”

The abductors are yet to contact anyone with their demands.

This incident comes barely a week after bandits attacked the Government Science College in Kagara, Niger state and abducted 27 students and 15 others after they had shot a student dead.