The Supreme Court on Friday threw out Lagos state appeal and upheld the use of Hijabs by female Muslim students of public schools in the state.
In a split decision of five to two of a seven-member panel, the Supreme Court affirmed the July 21, 2016 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Lagos, which set aside the October 17, 2014 judgment by Justice Grace Onyeabo of the High Court of Lagos State, which upheld the hijab restriction.
Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who wrote the lead majority judgment, which was read on Friday by Justice Tijani Abubakar, dismissed the appeal filed by Lagos State against the 2016 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Lagos, on the grounds that the appeal was without merit.
Recall that back in 2014 the Lagos State Government banned the use of the hijab, arguing that it was not part of the approved school uniform for students.
Following the ban, Muslim students filed a suit on May 27, 2015, seeking redress and asking the court to declare the ban as a violation of their rights to freedom of thought, religion and education.
The case, CA/L/135/15, is between Lagos State Government, Miss Asiyat AbdulKareem (through her father), Miss Moriam Oyeniyi and the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria.