Drama at Supreme Court Abuja as lawyer attends proceedings in traditional worshipper’s regalia

Following judgement of the Supreme Court that allows all Nigerians to express their way of worship and use of hijab in schools and public places delivered on the 17/6/2022. .

The majority decision affirmed the earlier Court of Appeal’s decision which restored the use of hijab by female Muslim students in Lagos State.

The case involved the Lagos State Government as the appellant and Asiyat AbdulKareem (through her father), Moriam Oyeniyi, and the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria as the respondents.

Judge Grace Onyeabo of the Lagos State High Court had in a judgement, on October 17, 2014, upheld the state government’s decision to ban the use of hijab in public primary and secondary schools in the state.

But the High Court’s decision was upturned by the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal in a judgement delivered on July 21, 2016.

In a unanimous judgement, the appeal court panel ruled that the ban on the use of hijab in public schools in the state was discriminatory against Muslim pupils.

Displeased with the judgement, the Lagos State government attempted to obtain a stay of execution of the Court of Appeal’s decision but failed.