Over the past years, hijab has become a part of the police uniform in different countries.
Following the suit of many countries, Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has approved a dress code which allows women to wear Islamic hijab under their berets.
The new dress code was unveiled at the IGP’s meeting with Strategic Police Managers on March 3, 2022.
The announcement has been widely praised by Nigeria’s Muslims, including the National body of the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria, FOMWAN, which hailed the new policy describing it as being fair to female Muslim officers.
“This is a unique development in the history of the Nigerian Police Force. Kudos to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba for the approval,” read a statement issued in Abuja by its National Amirah, Hajia Rafi’ah Idowu Sanni, Independent.ng reported.
“With this development, the Nigerian Force has become the first Security Agency in the country to introduce the policy which granted permission to willing female Muslim police officers to wear hijabs with their uniforms.”
“We are happy that the IGP was quoted as saying that the dress code was in line with international best practices and it is also to address the growing concern for gender mainstreaming and respect for culture and diversity,” Hajia Rafi’ah Idowu Sanni added.
Sanni appealed to Police authorities in all zones across the country to allow the implementation of the new policy without any form of discrimination.
“This new dress code will enable Muslim sisters to fulfill one of the most important commandments of Allah which is to cover their heads. This will enable them to contribute their quota to nation building. ” FOMWAN National Amirah stressed.
Islam sees hijab as an obligatory code of dress, not a religious symbol displaying one’s affiliations.
Muslim women success stories are growing around the world, with more women achieving glory and breaking records while preserving their religious beliefs.
There are other several cases where Muslim female cops have succeeded in accessing their right to wear hijab.
In November 2019, a Trinidad Muslim special reserve police officer was awarded $185,000 in compensation for being subjected to a discriminatory policy that banned her from wearing hijab on duty.
Earlier in 2016, Police Scotland declared hijab an optional part of its uniform to encourage more female Muslims to consider policing as a career option.
Similarly in Canada, the government announced in 2016 that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police would allow its officers to wear hijab as part of their uniforms, in the hope of boosting the number of female Muslim recruits.