Hijab Ruling: MURIC Heads to Supreme Court After Appeal Loss

Hijab Ruling: MURIC Heads to Supreme Court After Appeal Loss

The Incorporated Trustees of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) have approached the Supreme Court to challenge Friday’s judgment of the Court of Appeal, which overturned an earlier decision permitting Muslim students of the International School, University of Ibadan (ISI), to wear hijab.

The organisation also filed a Motion for Stay of Execution/Injunction pending the determination of its appeal before the apex court.

Earlier on Friday, the Court of Appeal, in a split decision of two to one, held that the International School, University of Ibadan, is a private institution and that the Supreme Court’s previous judgment permitting the use of hijab applies only to public schools.

The appellate court further ruled that the affected students had voluntarily accepted the school’s dress code by signing an undertaking to comply with its rules and regulations.

However, the court found that confining the students to the school library for between three and four hours because of the hijab dispute violated their fundamental rights.

Consequently, it reduced the damages awarded to the students from N1 million to N200,000.

Reacting to the judgment, Chairman of the ISI Muslim Parents Forum, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, expressed disappointment, insisting that the legal battle was far from over.

He confirmed that the forum would challenge the decision at the Supreme Court while urging members of the public to remain peaceful.

“We will take the matter up at the highest Court in the land,” Balogun said, while appealing to Nigerians to “remain calm in the face of open oppression.”

He also offered a prayer in Arabic, seeking divine intervention and protection.

In a separate statement issued on Friday, MURIC disclosed that it had already filed and served a Notice of Appeal alongside a Motion for Stay of Execution/Injunction pending appeal.

According to the organisation, the legal implication of its application is that the International School should not prevent Muslim students from wearing the hijab until the Supreme Court determines the pending motion.

“The International School, University of Ibadan, which we believe is a law-abiding educational institution, cannot lawfully prevent Muslim students from wearing the hijab pending the hearing and determination of the Motion for Stay of Execution/Injunction pending appeal,” the statement said.

MURIC also appealed to parents, students and members of the public to remain calm and allow the legal process to run its course.