The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III, yesterday said the Court of Appeal's judgment which granted freedom for female Muslims to wear hijab is not a favour to adherents of Islam. He spoke in Ilorin, Kwara State, at the opening of a National Conference of Islamic preachers under the umbrella of Da'wah Co-ordination Council of Nigeria (DCCN).

The Sultan said the judgment only affirms what is in the constitution as he tasked Muslims nationwide to remain steadfast concerning forthcoming litigation on the issue. He said Muslims were not compelling any one to use hijab, saying the only condition he would advocate action is if there were attempts to stop adherents from practising their faith.

Earlier, Governor Alhaji AbdulFattah Ahmed of Kwara State called on Islamic preachers to be advocates of peace and brotherliness and shun radical interpretations of the Quran. He also drew attention to what he called the growing trend of preachers indulging in personal attacks on other clerics in their preaching, saying there was need to shun such acts.

Meanwhile, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has said the ruling on the usage of hijab in Lagos schools was a victory for democracy. MURIC director, Prof. Isiaq Akintola said yesterday in a statement that the development has restored hope in the judiciary as the last hope of the common man. He said the five judges who ruled in favour of the matter deserve accolades and have proved beyond doubt that they were principled men of the bench.