By Divine Sam
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the Council of Legal Education to immediately establish an investigative panel to look into allegations that female Muslim students have been barred from wearing hijab during examinations at the Nigerian Law School.
The organisation made the demand in a statement issued on Thursday by its Executive Director, Professor Isiaq Akintola, amid growing controversy over the alleged restriction across Law School campuses in the country.
The controversy reportedly emerged following allegations that the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School had issued a verbal directive prohibiting female Muslim students from wearing hijab during their examinations.
Reacting to the development, Akintola urged the Council of Legal Education to constitute an independent panel to establish the facts surrounding the allegation.
He also called on the Director-General to step aside while the investigation was ongoing to allow the panel to conduct what he described as a free, fair and transparent inquiry.
MURIC accused the Director-General of threatening religious freedom and peaceful coexistence among students of different faiths, particularly during important examinations, including the final Call to Bar examination.
“The current DG poses a threat to healthy interaction and freedom of religion. She cannot create a balanced playing field for Muslim and Christian students, particularly during critical examinations like the Call-to-Bar final examination,” Akintola said.
The group further demanded the Director-General’s removal if she failed to resign, accusing her of damaging the reputation of the Nigerian Law School through her handling of the controversy.
MURIC also faulted what it described as the denial of the alleged hijab restriction and accused the Director-General of displaying an anti-Muslim disposition.
The organisation maintained that the Council of Legal Education should urgently intervene to establish the circumstances surrounding the allegation and address concerns over religious freedom at the institution.
However, the allegations remain claims made by MURIC, pending an official investigation and response from the Nigerian Law School authorities.
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