The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the Ekiti State Government to investigate allegations that female Muslim students are being denied the use of hijab in public schools and that Muslim students who registered for Islamic Religious Knowledge (IRK) are being compelled to study Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK).
The allegations were raised by the League of Imams and Alfas in Ekiti State at its monthly meeting held at the Central Mosque, Iyin-Ekiti, on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
Reacting to the development on Monday, MURIC Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, described the allegations as “grave, concerning and unnerving,” arguing that the reported practices amounted to violations of the fundamental rights of Muslim students.
Akintola said MURIC was particularly concerned by the alleged restriction on the wearing of hijab by female Muslim students in public schools, as well as the reported imposition of CRK on students who had registered for IRK.
He described the alleged practices as “anachronistic, myopic and repressive,” and accused the education authorities of religious intolerance.
According to him, the allegations were inconsistent with claims of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence in Yorubaland, stressing that mutual understanding and respect for religious practices should be upheld.
MURIC also cited previous incidents involving Muslims in Ekiti State, including an alleged attack on Muslims at a mosque in Ikun community, Moba Local Government Area, during which the Imam was reportedly injured and the mosque vandalised.
The organisation further referred to past controversies over the proposed demolition of mosques in the state and the reported demolition of Sabo Central Mosque in Aramoko-Ekiti in April 2025.
Akintola said the alleged incidents had created what he described as a growing pattern of hostility towards Muslims in the state and urged the government to take immediate steps to address the concerns raised by the League of Imams and Alfas.
He called on the Ekiti State Government to investigate the allegations against education officials and take appropriate measures to correct any practices found to violate students’ rights.
MURIC further argued that freedom of religion is constitutionally protected in Nigeria, citing Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution in support of its position on religious practice and education.
Akintola also alleged that the reported teaching of CRK to Muslim students against their choice amounted to an infringement on their constitutional rights.
He therefore urged the state government to ensure that the religious rights of Muslim students are respected in public schools and that educational policies are implemented without discrimination on religious grounds.
