June 17, (THEWILL) – The Supreme Court has affirmed the rights of Muslims Female Students in Lagos state to wear Hijab to school without harassment or discrimination.
A Lagos high court had in October 2014, ruled against the use of hijabs in schools, a judgement that was upturned by an appeal court in July 2016.
In a unanimous judgement, the appeal court noted that the ban was discriminatory against Muslim pupils in Lagos state.
Dissatisfied with the appellate court’s judgement, the state government took the case to the supreme court. It subsequently placed a ban on the use of hijab in August 2018.
The apex Court in a ruling on Friday, overruled the State Government on its restriction of the use of head covering (hijab) by female Muslim students in its public schools.
In a split decision of five to two, a seven-member panel of Justices, affirmed the July 21, 2016 judgement of the Court of Appeal, Lagos, which set aside the October 17, 2014 judgement by Justice Grace Onyeabo, of the High Court of Lagos State, which upheld the hijab restriction.
The Court in a judgement written byJustice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, and read by Justice Tijani Abubakar, dismissed the appeal filed by Lagos State against the 2016 judgement of the Court of Appeal, Lagos, on the grounds that the appeal was without merit.
Among those on the panel were Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Justice John Inyang Okoro, Justice Uwani Aji, Justice Mohammed Garba, Justice Tijjani Abubakar, and Justice Emmanuel Agim.
