President of Baptist Conference in Kwara State, Dr. Adebayo Dada has said many church members were this morning March 17 attacked by hoodlums who came to the First Baptist Church School, Surulere, Ilorin.
The hoodlums according to him attacked several people in the school premises peacefully carrying placards insisting that the school will not tolerate the wearing of hijab
One of the victims
Issues on hijab
There have been issues surrounding the wearing of hijab in mission-owned schools.
The school authority had insisted that hijab would not be tolerated in the school being a mission school.
But the state government after wading into the matter declared that hijab could be used by Muslim students.
Following the impasse, missions” schools in the state were closed.
But the government ordered the reopening of the school on Tuesday, March 16.
Hijab Crisis: Many in the hospital
another victim
The Baptist Conference President told Church Times in a phone interview that there was a heavy fracas in the school premises this morning which led to many being injured.
He said, “there was a physical attack. The attack was so much on us. They came en-masse to meet us in the church. Their plan was to burn down the church.”
Dr. Dada also recalled how the hoodlums once set about 100 tyres on fire in the school premises with the aim of razing down the school.
He said many church members have been taken to the hospital as a result of the fracas this morning urging the government to obey the rule of law.
“The school has been existing for over 50 years. There has been no time in the history of the school that the issue of hijab came up because we have been the ones dictating the uniform to be worn not the government.
“And in any case, the issue is in court. I don’t know why the government is not patient enough for the Supreme court to make pronouncements on the matter before insisting that hijab could be worn. What we are saying is that the government should respect the rule of law.”
Dada said the church was ready to abide by the decision of the court insisting that anything apart from that will not subsist.
He described as unfortunate the recent development noting that the police could not help when mayhem was being unleashed on church members.
“The police were helpless this morning. They could not do anything while people were being attacked and injured. Some of our church members are now in the hospital as a result of the attack.” he said.
