The Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency check excesses of overzealous officers in some ministries, departments and agencies before it is too late.
MSSN noted that the need to check excesses of some officers in formations such as NYSC, Schools of Nursing, Teaching Hospitals, Military and Paramilitary especially was necessary before they evoke responses that would be difficult to control.
In a petition dated 18th December 2017 addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari and copied President General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Chairman, Council for Legal Education, Director General, Nigeria Law School Bwari campus and National President, Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN), MSSN while reacting to refusal of the Nigerian Law School and Council of Legal Education to call a University of Ilorin law graduate, Firdaus Amasa to bar last week due to her refusal to remove her Hijab, insisted that anyone found guilty in the matter should be punished in order to forestall future occurrences.
MSSN in the petition signed by its National President, Muhammad Jameel Muhammad, titled “A Stitch in Time Saves Nine”, and made available to DAILY POST, described the action as an “attempt at dashing the hope of Firdausi Amasa of becoming a lawyer.
Muhammad then advised that “That the unfortunate incidence of 13th December 2017 be thoroughly investigated by a team of persons of undeniable record of scholarship, integrity and objectivity”.
Muhammad said “We hereby draw attention to an unpardonable irony, the paradoxical display of lawlessness by the authorities/agents of the supposedly law teaching and certificating duo of the Nigerian Law School and the Council for Legal Education.
“In an orchestrated attempt at dashing the hope of Sister Firdausi Amasa of becoming a lawyer, the agents of the duo above have barred this illustrious graduate of the prestigious University of Ilorin and Nigeria Law School Bwari campus from being called to the Nigerian Bar. Her crime was simply being a practicing Muslim as evident in putting on the hijab, the prescribed dress code for all mature Muslim females.
“Mr President Sir, the excesses of the overzealous officers of some Ministries, Departments and Agencies, notably the NYSC, Schools of Nursing, Teaching Hospitals, some Military and Paramilitary formations need to be checked before they become or evoke responses that are difficult to control.
“They have in uncountable times humiliated and even physically assaulted Muslims on account of putting on the hijab, keeping beard, and praying on time. We are beginning to be pushed to the wall, overstretching our elastic patience as our religion is always made a hindrance to us as we compete with others for scarce opportunities in our own fatherland.
“This time around, it is, dismally, paradoxical that the illegal act was committed by no other than those entrusted with legal education. The custodians of the law are guilty of total disregard of the extant laws of the land.
“Your Excellency Sir, we are beginning to wonder which type of stuff the Nigerian Law School and the Council for Legal Education really impart on the people who man the third arm of our government, the judiciary.
“The millions of Nigerian Muslim students, on behalf of whom we speak, are increasingly becoming disillusioned that the law, at least in Nigeria, is no more the last resort and hope of the poor and weak.
“If, at an occasion in which the solicitors of the Supreme Court are to be sworn-in, relevant and conspicuous sections of the Constitution and clearly unanimous verdicts of courts of competent jurisdiction could be offended with such publicized impunity as done on Wednesday 13 December 2017 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, in the presence of and by those who matter in legal education and practice of law in the land, we are compelled to believe that the law, itself, is helpless in Nigeria.
“When the law is publically and with doses of impunity portrayed to be helpless itself, unless something drastic and timely is done, the country is heading towards lawlessness as an option. God forbid!
MSSN then demands as follows:
“In the light of the above and relevant dismal and intolerable realities, we present the following prayers:
“That the unfortunate incidence of 13th December 2017 be thoroughly investigated by a team of persons of undeniable record of scholarship, integrity and objectivity;
“That anybody, no matter how highly placed or connected, found culpable in that display of barbaric extremism should be dispassionately dealt with to forestall future occurrence;
“That Sister Firdausi Amasa be called to the Nigerian Bar of her dream without further delay, as justice delayed is justice denied;
“That Sister Firdausi Amasa, her family, former schools, friends, the women folk and the entirety of Nigerian Muslims who were terrorized by the unwholesome act should be formally and publically apologized to by the duo of Nigerian Law School and the Council for Legal Education and
“That such unlawful act of discrimination should henceforth be declared a crime against female education, women empowerment and, indeed, the entire humanity.
“In conclusion, as we await your responses and subsequent timely actions, on behalf of the millions of our teaming members all over the country and beyond, we unequivocally reiterate that a stitch in time saves nine”.
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