Kwara Police Restore Peace After Bloody Hijab Protest In Ijagbo
- One Dead, 4 Injured in Baptist Sch fracas
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The Kwara State Police Command says peace has been restored in Ijagbo, Oyun Local Government of the state after a protest over the use of Hajib by Students turned violent on Thursday with one person feared dead.
According to the Command, its tactical units and conventional policemen deployed to the troubled area successfully restored peace and are fully at alert to ensure that there is no further disruption of public peace.
Reports indicated that Christian and Muslim parents whose wards are students of the Oyun Baptist High School in Ijagbo, Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State were involved in the fracas that also had four persons sustaining varying degrees of injuries.
The reports said the bust-up was allegedly triggered by the management of Oyun Baptist High School’s decision on January 17, 2022, that Muslim students should no longer wear Hijab to the school.
In condemning the violent incident, the Kwara State Government, through its Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, appealed for calm, warning that violence was unacceptable.
Eyewitness account said the opposing parents (Muslims and Christians) protested in the morning at the gate of the school displaying placards to express their positions. But things suddenly went awry after the opposing parents’ confrontation and their sympathisers became uncontrollable.
In the process, hoodlums exploited the situation, freely using dangerous weapons that resulted in one person reportedly being shot in the head with four others sustaining severe injuries in their bodies.
One of the community members, where the School is located, hinted that it took the timely intervention of the anti-riot mobile police team drafted to restore peace in the school to prevent the protest from further escalating.
The community member, who preferred anonymity for obvious reasons, sid “The person that sustained gun shot in the head has been reported dead this (yesterday) afternoon. It was a peaceful protest before it was hijacked by sympathisers and hoodlums,“ said a source.
Spokesman of the state police command, Ajayi Okasanmi, in a statement said normalcy had been restored in the area and warned the residents of Ijagbo to embrace the peace, that that anyone found threatening the peace would be arrested and prosecuted.
A Police statement titled, “Re: Hijab crisis in Ijagbo, Oyun Local Government” reads: “The Kwara State Police Command wishes to inform the general public, especially, citizens and residents of Ijagbo community and its environs, that the Command’s Tactical units and conventional police men deployed to Ijagbo have successfully restored peace and are also on ground to ensure that no further break down of law and order is allowed.
“The above action is sequel to the crisis related to the wearing of Hijab in schools which matter has been in contention between the Christian and Muslim faithful in Kwara State. Of current concern was the breakdown of law and other between Ijagbo community and protesting Muslim parents, where dangerous weapons were freely used.” – With Arewa Voice reports
