THE Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has accused AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, governor of Kwara State, of taking sides in the crisis surrounding wearing hijab in schools.
The Christian association said the governor had been reacting to the crisis as if he was voted into the office primarily to protect his religion.
Joseph Daramola, CAN general secretary, said this in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday over the crisis between Christians and Muslims in the state.
”If any damage is done to any church or anyone is injured on this matter, the Governor of Kwara State will be held responsible. It is disheartening and unfortunate that a government that was installed democratically will become insensitive to the plight and the yearning of the people,” CAN said.
CAN stated that the governor’s pronouncement on the issue led to attacks on ‘innocent Christians’ who were being targeted and attacked in the state, adding that some mission schools and churches were also vandalised.
”Some innocent Christians are violently abused and attacked under the watch of the Governor who is playing the ostrich,” Daramola said.
Disagreeing with the governor over his directive that female students could wear hijabs to mission schools, CAN said there were public schools belonging to Islamic organisations where those who wanted to wear the hijab could attend without causing the ongoing needless crisis in the state.
However, CAN urged the governor to let peace reign in the state by ordering ‘hoodlums’ to stop attacking mission schools and churches before the situation degenerated into an unprecedented religious crisis.
The association called on the federal government and Adamu Muhammed, inspector general of police (IGP), to intervene in the ongoing violence in Kwara.
The ICIR had reported that violence broke out in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, on Wednesday, a day after the state government ordered the reopening of 10 schools earlier shut over the hijab crisis.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94