Hijab: Muslim Fundamentalists Swore To Burn Down Our Church, Kwara Baptist Conference President
Hijab: Muslim fundamentalists swore to Burn Down our church, Kwara Baptist Conference President: The usage of hijab by the Muslim students in schools is the cause of the problem.
There were reports about how the conflict arose between Muslims and Christians over an issue based on hijab by Muslim pupils in various schools.
Reverend Victor Dada, the President of Kwara Baptist Conference, has alleged that Muslim fundamentalists vowed to burn down First Baptist Church Surulere, Ilorin, Kwara State, where Christians gathered for a peaceful demonstration on Wednesday.
In a statement, Dada said that the Muslim fundamentalists gained control over the police, forcefully took out the gate, the school signboard, and threw stones at Christians in the location for more than an hour.
According to him, at least 20 people, including four pastors, were wounded, and three are in the hospital.
The statement also read, “Despite that, the case is at the Supreme Court and proprietors of the mission school obtained a stay of execution, the government announced the use of hijab and reopening of the schools yesterday.
“Christians who were at First Baptist Church Surulere, Ilorin on peaceful demonstration with drums and trumpets, came under severe attack by Muslim fundamentalists who mobilized themselves and came in their numbers to attack us.
“Only the member’s efforts to resist and the security reinforcements that came later saved the church from getting burnt down.
“Over 20 people (including four Pastors) were wounded, with three hospitalized.
“The fundamentalist vehemently attempted to burn the church in the presence of security officials and, when confronted, threatened to burn the church either during the day or at night.
“They doused the church gate with petrol and scattered the auditorium. They also vandalized The Apostolic Church, Eruda, Ilorin, a church without any grant-aided school.”
The cleric stated that the church maintains its stance on the controversial issue. Further stressing that wearing of hijab will not be permitted in mission schools.
In the last 15 years, he alleged that the government had not employed teachers for Christian Religious Knowledge. But employed Islamic religious teachers in schools, including the mission schools.
“Surprisingly, the government has become a Muslim government. It is now by the Muslim and for the Muslim in his (state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq) policies, pronouncements, and attitude.
“We wish to restate our stand that our schools are grant-aided and not public schools. At no time since the grant aiding policy started in 1974 has any government designed uniforms for schools.
“This has always been the responsibility of the proprietors, be it community or mission. It should be noted that Christians have always complied with Islamic guidelines in grant-aided Muslim schools. But Muslims do not allow any Christian practice in their schools.
“The Muslims and the government should not take our gentleness for weakness. The government has not employed Christian Religious Knowledge teachers in the last 15 years. But kept hiring and posting Imam and Islamic religious teachers in large numbers (even in mission schools).
“We shall not allow the use of hijab in our schools. Our faith and inheritance will be defended. We demand that the government should return our schools.”
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