Iran Press/Africa: On Wednesday, Abuja Police Command, under CP Benneth Igweh, paraded nearly 100 Shi'a Muslims most of them women who were tortured and forced to remove their hijab, accusing them of killing three police officers during the peaceful Arbaeen march, an accusation described by the Islamic Movement as baseless.
In Potiskum city of Yobe State, thousands of women on Friday despite heavy rainfall, stood firmly after the protest was concluded to listen to the closing speech by Malama Fatima Iyam, who said "We strongly condemn the atrocities of the Nigerian Police Force. Their disrespectful attitude towards religious sanctity and the rights of the Shi'a citizens would never be accepted or tolerated.
So also in Bauchi State, Muslim women were seen carrying placards and banners with different inscriptions such as "Forceful removal of hijab by police is blasphemy against Islam, Hijab is part of my identity, Forcing Muslim women to remove their hijab is a form of oppression and denial of their rights."
In an exclusive interview with Iran Press during the protest in Bauchi State, Walida Abdulqadir Galadi said "We are out today to condemn the atrocities of the Nigerian Police who removed the hijab of our sisters in Abuja. This is terrorism. What Nigerian Police are doing is the same as what terrorist soldiers of Israel are doing in Palestine. Hijab is our right, hijab is our life, and hijab is our honor."
Another woman who spoke to journalists, Fatima Hussaini Madaki drew the attention of fellow Sunni Muslims in Nigeria and around the world to condemn such brutal actions of the Nigerian police, nothing that abusing hijab is abusing all Muslims not only Shi'a.
In a press statement signed by Sheikh Sidi Munir Sokoto, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria said the persecution of the security agents would never harm its struggle for justice. 204
Read more:
Nigerian Muslims Observe Arbaeen March Symbolically
