This week, strong tensions erupted between Christian and Muslim communities in Ilorin, the capital of the state of Kwara, in central Nigeria. This crisis resulted in the closure of ten public schools. At the heart of the dispute is the ban on wearing the Islamic veil imposed on Muslim students in a dozen predominantly Christian schools in the city. Despite government intervention, eager to guarantee the religious freedom of all students, tensions escalated into clashes between Christians and Muslims.
as reported from Lagos, Liza Fabbian
As often, it all started with a video posted on social networks. A motorcycle driver filmed a schoolgirl hiding her Islamic veil in her bag before entering the school, who then explained to the driver, who questioned her, that she is forbidden to wear her Islamic veil. Hijab inside the company under penalty of bullying.
While the controversy created by this video has become a real crisis this week, tensions in predominantly Christian schools in the city of Ilorin are not new; they actually go back a decade when the church asked to take over the leadership of the former missionary. schools that came under Nigerian state control in the 1970s.
Not only did justice reject their appeal, but the ruling also affirmed the religious freedom of Muslim students who were allowed to wear the veil in these schools. However, this judgment, which was upheld on appeal, was not respected in practice.
After ordering the closure of these schools a month ago in an attempt to calm the spirits, authorities in the town of Ilorin tried to reopen them this week, but the situation escalated. Several people were injured in violent clashes between Christians and Muslims, while the majority of students and teachers preferred to stay at home.
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