Initially, PUNCH has made a cover of the IGP’s, Alkali Baba Usman new dress code for female police officers that he aired on Friday backing it up with the fact that it is in accordance with international best practices but this did not go down well with the Civil Rights Advocacy group Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), according to them, the new dress code is proscribed, cliquish and above all unconstitutional stating that it was an act to attain the “Islamization agenda” of the President, Major General Muhammad’s Buhari.
On Sunday, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the National Coordinator of HURIWA railed against the IGP over the new rule. He stated that the new dress code for female police officers countermands the provisions of 1999 constitution that forbade the elevation of any religion.
The group posited that the use of hijab and bejeweled earring would not in any area boost the productivity of police officers or keep them from the roaming AK47 bullets fired by muggers and madcap criminals in the country of recent.
A displeased Onwubiko said despite the many problems the police force are facing which includes; poor wellbeing, diminishing staff members, low spirits amongst all confronting the Nigeria Police Force under IGP Usman Baba, it is unfortunate that he chose to itemize religious adornment over trivial issues.
HURIWA wonders how the new dress code is of importance to the reducing 300,000 police officers whose salaries are seldomly paid by the government and whose decrepit stations are undies for pigs not to talk of human beings.
He further stated “Intuitively speaking, to what intent and purpose is the use of hijab for female police officers chasing criminals on the busy streets of Lagos or combating bandits in Abuja-Kaduna express way? Would the hijab fend off AK47 bullets fired by bandits from hitting the officers? The IGP should get serious.
“The Nigerian Police has been in existence since 1947 and wearing hijab for female police officers is illegal and not according to the law as the religion of the security agencies should be a private matter to them.
”Section 10 of the 1999 constitution stipulates that government and all its agencies should be even handed in religious matters while section 42 of the same constitution forbids discrimination in all it ramifications.
”The IGP, being a Muslim from Borno state where Boko Haram operates freely should not use the post he currently holds to ennoble Islam on the plurality of members of the force comprising Muslims, Christains, Catholics, pagans and the limes. The IGP should respect his oath of office and desist from zealotry and the hijab wranglethat has sharply divided and inflamed states such as Osun, Kwara and others. He should desist from such fanatism as demonstrated by the government supported Hisbah police in northern Nigeria.
”If the Muslim female officers are allowed to wear hijab, how should police officers in CCC dress up when their church doctrine is not in support of putting on footwears at all? And how should traditionalists who are in the force appear to office, with charms and amulets round their uniforms?
”Usman Baba should focus on thwarting crime, improve citizens engagement and help assure safety of lives and property.”