Hijab: Security chiefs meet Christian leaders over crisis in schools

Femi Makinde, Osogbo
Security chiefs and representatives of Governor Rauf Aregbesola,
on Thursday held a peace parley with some Christian leaders over
the lingering crisis caused by the court judgement allowing the
use of hijab in public schools in Osun State.
Sources at the meeting told our correspondent that Aregbesola
initiated the peace parley having realised that the threat issued to
the Christian Association of Nigeria would not work.
Some of the security chiefs, who attended the meeting are:
Commissioner of Police, Mr. Femi Olanipekun ; Director of
Department of State Services, Mr. Ike Maduegbuna and the
Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mr.
Ayodele Olusola.
Some  former commissioners were also said to be in attendance
at the meeting held at the DSS Office in Osogbo. The former
commissioners are: former Commissioner for Information, Mr.
Sunday Akere and former Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wale
Afolabi among others.
The source said, “The police commissioner , the director of DSS ,
NSCDC boss and some government representatives were at the
meeting.
“The meeting was basically to appeal to the Christian leaders to
stop instigating Christian students . The state government and
security agencies are worried at the dimension the issue is
taking.
“They appealed to them and I believe, there will be a change . They
saw reasons with us and also said they were not out to disturb the
peace of the state but you know that religious issues are very
sensitive.”
He said that those, who came from the Baptist denomination
wanted to storm out of the meeting but were persuaded.
The source said the Baptist leaders said they were not told that
they were coming to attend a meeting but that they were
summoned by the officials of the DSS.
One of the former commissioners, Akere, when contacted on the
telephone confirmed the meeting.
He said there was a meeting between government officials and
security chiefs on one side and Christian leaders on another side.
“We appealed to them and they assured us that there would be no
crisis. The state belongs to Christians and Muslims and we must
not allow the peace we are enjoying to be shattered.”
Akere said those who lost in a similar case in Lagos State did not
resort to self help but went ahead and appealed.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and
Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria have expressed support for
Muslims in Osun State to continue to wear hijab.
The Secretary General of the NSCIA, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede , said this
in a statement made available to journalists in Osogbo on
Thursday.