As palpable tension returned to Kwara state over Hijab usage in government grant aided schools,the two major religion bodies involved, Muslims and Christians have stuck to their guns,thereby creating a stalemate.
While the Christians insisted that they would not allow the usage of Hijab in any of the missionary schools being grant aided by the state government, the Muslim insisted that the government must enforce the usage of Hijab in the affected schools as a way to firmly put the matter to rest.
Representatives of two religious bodies spoke at different press conference in Ilorin on Friday.
It would be recalled that one person was killed on Thursday at the gate of Oyun Baptist High school when the parents of the students in the two religious bodies were protesting and it turned bloody.
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kwara state yesterday at its own press conference insisted that it will not allow use of hijab in grant-aided mission schools in the state and blamed some suspected Muslim fundamentalists for the Thursday, bloody violence at Oyun Baptist High School.
Read Also: Hijab fracas: Protests turn bloody in Kwara, one killed, four others injured
Meanwhile, the Muslim body through Kwara state Muslim stakeholders urged the state government to enforce its policy on wearing of hijab by Muslim schools girls in all government grant- aided secondary schools as the only way to firmly put the matter to a close.
Addressing reporters on behalf of Oyun local government area CAN chapter, Rev Samuel Ajayi said that “it has been said times without number that we cannot and will not allow the use of hijab in our mission schools. We have since asked the state government to return our schools back to us.
“We want to inform the general public that whatever happens in our schools on hijab issue, should dropped at the doorsteps of the state government.
“The aim and mission of those that went to Oyun Baptist High School to foment trouble on the issue of hijab will fail. CAN in the state will resist their move, even with the last ounce of our blood.
” We therefore demand that the hoodlums be fished out and appropriately prosecuted.
“We implore the state government to as a matter of urgency return our schools back to us. Christians are bonafide citizens of this state and we own it together. If the state government refuses we will use all constitutional means to get our schools back.”
Speaking earlier in a press conference,the the Chairman of Kwara State Muslim Stakeholders, Alhaji Isiaq Albdulkareem, flanked by Barrister Ibrahim Agbaje and other members said,”We are calling on the state government, to be firm in its decision by enforcing it,in order to discourage this kind of development henceforth.
“We are also of the opinion that a Commission of inquiry should be set up on this incident with a view to make recommendations that would proffer lasting solution to the problems.
He alleged that one of the parents of the Muslim students of the school, Habeeb Idris, was killed during the fracas and that 11 parents were also injured.
The people, also called for immediate closure of the school and relocation of the students to other schools pending the resolution of the crisis.
The group further called on the Police to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crisis with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book.
In his contribution, the legal adviser of the forum, Barrister Ibrahim Agbaje, said that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) lost the two cases it instituted at both at the lower and appellate courts on the issue of hijab wearing by Muslim school girls in the state.
He said that as at yesterday, there is no case instituted at the Supreme Court by CAN on the earlier judgements delivered by a Kwara state High Court and the court of appeal.
