Islamic women in the country have tasked President Muhammadu Buhari and Governors of different states to start enacting different laws that will ensure women wearing hijab are not discriminated against.
Several Islamic organisations during a briefing at Alausa Secretariat Mosque Auditorium, Ikeja, Lagos to mark the World Hijab Day, condemned those harassing Muslim women for wearing hijab.
They singled out government agencies including National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), schools, as well as private organisations among the culprits.
Addressing reporters on behalf of the organisations, the convener of Hijab Rights Advocacy Initiative (HRAI), Hajia Mutiat Orolu-Balogun, urged government to ensure that those denying Muslim women their rights are punished.
She said: “We have also recorded several cases where Muslim women in hijab are denied entry at public services such as NIMC registration, UTME and even banks located in facilities owned by the church. Our daughters have had to take off their hijab in order to write UTME or even collect their ATM cards.
“We urge Mr President, governors, National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly, the Judiciary and all regulatory authorities to uphold the provisions of the constitution and other relevant laws, to ensure that hijab-wearing Muslims are not harassed and discriminated against.
“We enjoin regulatory authorities to sensitise their workers and agents on the rights of fellow citizens as guaranteed by the constitution and other regulations to forestall further conflicts in future.”