Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, a Nigerian lawyer, has denounced a new dress rule that permits female police officers to wear a headscarf while on duty.
According to Anaedoonline.ng, Usman Alkali Baba, the Inspector General of Police, has approved a new clothing code for female police officers.
According to Muyiwa Adejobi, the Force’s spokeswoman, the new uniform permits female police officers to wear hijab and stud earrings while on duty.
IGP, Usman Approves New Dress Code For Female Police Officers
Adegboruwa, in a statement released on Saturday, claimed the ratification of a new dress code is unlawful and unconstitutional.
According to the Senior of Advocate, the IGP’s decision nullifies Section 10 of the 1999 constitution, which mandates government entities’ impartiality in religious affairs.
He said that the police chief lacked the authority to use his position to enforce religion, and that police officers’ religious beliefs should be kept private.
The lawyer stated that the police chief’s new clothing code will cause confusion and turmoil.
“Public servants’ faith, including members of the security services, should be a private matter to them,” he stated. The inspector-general of police lacks the authority to use his position to enforce religion.
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“Section 10 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s constitution mandates that the government and all of its agencies remain religiously neutral.
“Section 42 of the same constitution prohibits discrimination in all its ramifications. In this regard, there will be no end to confusion attending to the new dress code prescribed by the IGP.
“What will be the official uniform for policewomen who are in the Catholic church? How should policemen and women who are in the Celestial church dress up when the practice of their church is against wearing shoes at all?
“And how should traditionalists who are in the police force dress up, with charms and amulets round their uniforms?
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“The Nigeria police has existed as an institution since 1945 and it is strange that of all the issues confronting that agency, such as low morale, poor welfare, poor infrastructure, poor training, poor welfare, etc, religious adornment should be the priority of the inspector-general of police.”
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