Allowing Female Police Officers To Wear Hijab Illegal – Adegboruwa

Nigeria lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa has condemned a new dress code that allows female police officers to wear a hijab while in uniform.

Naija News reported that the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, had approved a new dress code for female police officers.

In a statement on Friday by the Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, the new dress allows female police officers to wear hijab and stud earrings while in uniform.

Reacting to the development in a statement on Saturday, Adegboruwa said the approval of a new dress code is illegal and unconstitutional.

The Senior of Advocate asserted that the IGP’s approval negates Section 10 of the 1999 constitution that stipulates neutrality of government agencies in religious matters.

He stated that the police chief is not competent to use the platform of his office to enforce religion, adding that the religion of police officers should be a private matter to them.

The lawyer noted that the new dress code prescribed by the police boss will bring confusion and chaos.

He said: “The religion of public officers, including members of the security agencies, should be a private matter to them. The inspector-general of police is not competent to use the platform of his office to enforce religion.

“Section 10 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria stipulates that the government and all its agencies should be neutral in religious matters.

“Section 42 of the same constitution prohibits discrimination in all its ramifications. In this regard, there will be no end to confusion attending to the new dress code prescribed by the IGP.

“What will be the official uniform for policewomen who are in the Catholic church? How should policemen and women who are in the Celestial church dress up when the practice of their church is against wearing shoes at all?

“And how should traditionalists who are in the police force dress up, with charms and amulets round their uniforms?

“The Nigeria police has existed as an institution since 1945 and it is strange that of all the issues confronting that agency, such as low morale, poor welfare, poor infrastructure, poor training, poor welfare, etc, religious adornment should be the priority of the inspector-general of police.”