A Kano Sharia Court on Thursday, June 23, ordered that a 28-year-old man, Badamasi Abubakar, who pleaded guilty to lifting a woman’s veil, also known as Hijab, without her consent be remanded in a correction centre.
Abubakar, who lives in Dan Marke Hotoro Quarters, Kano, pleaded guilty to indecent assault.
The Judge, Ismai’l Muhammed-Ahmed, adjourned the matter until July 27 for sentence.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp Abdul Wada, told the court that Ms Summaiya Abdul of Dan Marke Hotoro Quarters, reported the matter at the Hotoro Police Station on June 21.
The prosecutor said that the complainant alleged that at about 4p.m., the defendant, lifted her Hijab without her consent and when she confronted him, he slapped her.
Wada said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 165 and 166 of the Penal Code.
Last week, Supreme Court has approved that Muslim female students in Lagos state wear hijab to school without harassment or discrimination.
In a majority decision, Nigeria’s apex court gave the ruling on Friday, June 17 in Abuja, stating that Muslim female students can now wear hijab to school without harassment or discrimination.
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Delivering judgment, five out of a seven-member panel of the apex court held that banning the use of hijab is discriminatory.
Background
In October 2014, a Lagos high court ruled on prohibiting the wearing of hijabs in schools, a decision that was overturned by an appellate court in July 2016.
A five-man special appellate court panel, presided by Justice A.B. Gumel, had on July 21, 2016, overruled the October 17, 2014 judgment of Justice Modupe Onyeabo of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, which banned the use of hijab in public primary and secondary schools in Lagos State.
In an unanimous judgment, the appeal court noted that the ban was discriminatory against Muslim pupils in Lagos state.
