Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu has given assurance that the President would consult with relevant stakeholders on the possibility of banning Hijab which is a dressing mode for Muslim women.
President Buhari had said during a Presidential media chat on Wednesday that he might ban wearing of Hijab by Muslim women if members of Boko Haram continue to use it, as they have been doing, as a cover to attack innocent Nigerians.
However, it was learnt that some people have been going about spreading the rumour that the President had actually banned Hijab.
In a statement today, Garba Shehu denied that the President had banned the Hijab, saying that the President would not take any decision on the issue without due consultation with all the stakeholders.
He said that the insinuations and rumours that the Buhari administration has banned Hijab, the Muslim women’s dressing symbol of modesty was an unfounded speculation.
Garba Shehu, whose statement sought to clarify the pronouncement of the President on Media Chat, said that the Buhari administration would always respect the rights of Muslims to protect their modesty and allow religious freedom as it affects everyone.
The Presidential spokesman admitted that the Hijab is being abused by terrorists to carry out suicide attacks on innocent people, which violates the teachings of Islam, but that everything will be done to balance national security requirements with the rights and obligations of citizens under their religions as protected by the constitution.
According to him, the increasing abuse of the Hijabby terrorists to perpetrate criminal mass murder and other atrocities is a reality, and that the government would address the security challenge in consultations with Muslim leaders with a view to finding a workable solution. [myad]
