Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Some Islamic adherents under the aegis of Al-Khwaan Fillahi Muslim Society of Nigeria have decried alleged discrimination of Muslim faithful in the South-South and South-East.
The group alleged that Muslims were being discriminated agaisnt in appointments into public and private establishments and admission into universities.
In a communique at the end of a General Assembly in Asaba, Chairman of the group, Muhammed Elunor, said Muslim children were molested, victimised and refused the use of hijab in private and public primary and secondary schools in the regions.
The Muslim body called on relevant authorities to take urgent steps to address discrimination against Muslims in South East and South South.
Elunor said some universities in the regions deliberately included Christian Religious Study (CRS) in their examinations “in a bid to ensure that Muslim students fail the Post-UTME.”
“ Muslim students who did not take CRS/CRK are automatically disadvantaged. Sometime last year at Onne Primary School, the Seriki Hausawa called me that a particular teacher punished a girl because she was wearing the hijab. She also told her not to come back to school with the hijab.
“And being the lawyer representing the community, they called me, and we went to the school, but the school authority said the teacher acted on her own. We are talking about the teacher because her mind and action is more dangerous that the position of the school.”
Professor of Physics at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umuahia, Abia State, Obini Ekpe, also stated that no Muslim was appointed to head any tertiary education institution, government agency or parastatal in the two regions.
Prof. Ekpe alleged that in the South-East in particular, it was just recently that a Muslim was appointed as commissioner in Imo State, insisting that the trend must be reversed.