The ruling by the Lagos division of Nigeria’s Court of Appeal “has restored hope in the judiciary as the last hope of the common man,” said the director of the Muslim Rights Concern group, Ishaq Akintola, according to a report by the AP, as covered by IRNA.
The unanimous decision, overturning a 2013 ruling which banned hijabs in Lagos government schools, has added authority since three of the five judges are not Muslim, Akintola said.
The headscarf issue has ignited passions in a country suffering from Boko Haram’s uprising in the northeast. Some suicide bombers, including men disguised as women in full hijab, have hidden explosives under their robes.
