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Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin  with agency report

The Kwara Government yesterday broke open the gates of grant-aided mission schools that refused to comply with its reopening order after the dispute over use of hijab by female Muslim students.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a welder was seen cutting the chains and locks of the gates of the non-compliant schools in Ilorin, the state capital.

The action was taken with the presence of armed security men and officials of the state Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM).

Among the schools forcibly opened were St. Anthony’s Secondary School, Offa Road, and Cherubim & Seraphim College, Sabo Oke.

The cutting of the gate at St. Anthony’s Secondary School met little resistance from church members while at C & S College, the church members came out in their numbers singing and praying.

NAN reports that 10 schools were earlier closed down by the government on February 19 over the crisis provoked by the use of hijab by female students in public schools across the state.

Read Also: Hijab in Kwara: Bad news doesn’t get better with time

The state government had directed resumption on March 8, allowing the use of hijab by willing female students after meeting with stakeholders.

In furtherance, the government announced reopening of the schools on March 17 but the announcement was met with resistance by some Christian faithful.

This led to violence in some of the schools on Wednesday, which took the intervention of security personnel to control.

However, two days after government’s pronouncement on resumption, the schools remained locked with the exception of ECWA Secondary School, Oja-Iya,

This made the state TESCOM to direct all principals, teachers and staff to resume yesterday or face sanctions.

However, when NAN visited St. Anthony’s Secondary School, Bishop Smith Memorial College, and C&S College yesterday morning, they remained shut with the principals, teachers and staff loitering outside the premises.

Apart from firmly locking C$S College’s gate, original owners of the school also poured heap of red sound at the entrance of the gate.

The Vice Principal (Admininstrtion), C & S College, Mrs Yemi Adedayo, said the gateman claimed he did not know who locked the gate.

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