Hundreds of Muslims and Christians supporters of the claimants and defendants in the case of violation of the right to use hijab in public schools in Ogun State were on Friday locked out of the Isabo High Court in Abeokuta at the resumed hearing of the case.
The supporters arrived on the court premises in different religious attire as early as 7am to express their solidarity with the Christians and Muslims in the case but the security officials at the entrance of the court stopped them.
The Presiding judge, Justice Bamgbose Alabi, said,
“I wonder why we have that large number of people. I’m going to look at it (hijab case) and see what the law says.
“I am not moved by a large number of people. If they like, they should take over the court premises, my judgement will be according to the law.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Muslim Lawyers Association in the state, Semiu Akinbami, has described the refusal of public schools in the state to allow Muslim girls use hijab as “a case of victimisation and intimidation”.
Akinbami, who doubles as the lead counsel for nine-year-old Aishat Abdulhaleem, who instituted the case against the state government, accused the defence counsel of frustrating the efforts being made to ensure that Aisha was admitted to one of the public schools in her area.
Justice Bamgbose had earlier advised the parties to reach a consensus at the last hearing of the case for Aishat for admitted to one of the public schools in the state.
However, the parties involved in the case had failed to reach a consensus on an alternative suitable public school to be attended by the girl before the determination of the case.
In this our country!!
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