The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos has scolded the Lagos State Government for not filling a response to the appeal against the ban on Hijab in secondary schools in Lagos State.
The state government was scolded by the lead judge, Hon. Justice Sidi Bage, during the hearing of an appeal case against the ban on Hijab by the state government on Monday at Igbosere, Lagos.
It would be recalled that the Court of Appeal had on November 19, 2015 heard the appellant’s motion against the ban on the Muslim headscarf.
The Lagos State Government banned the use of Hijab on the argument that it was not part of the approved school uniform for students.
Subsequently, members of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit, proceeded to court to seek redress and protect Muslim females from being flogged, embarrassed and victimised for using the Hijab within and outside school premises.
At the High Court, Justice Grace Modupe Onyeabo ruled against the use of Hijab because of the “secularity” of Lagos State.
After the High Court judgement, the Court of Appeal was approached, but the Counsel for the Lagos State Government did not file a respondent brief.
Instead, the government, thought its counsel, Oluwole Ligali, filed a motion for extension during the Monday’s hearing and also pleaded to file the response within one week.
However, the lead judge faulted the state government, alleging that the government was “playing with a case of public interest”.
Earlier, Barrister Wasiu Amoo, who led seven other lawyers representing the appellants, withdrew the motion asking the Court to set down the matter for hearing since the Lagos State Government has eventually filled its motion asking for the Court to allow it file its Respondent brief out of time.
After granting the request, the case was subsequently adjourned till May 3, 2016.
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