THREE Islamic organisations: Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), and the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) have cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari against banning Hijab.

Buhari had, during a presidential media chat on Wednesday, hinted of the possibility of imposing a ban on hijab (dressing code for Muslim women) in the near future if the bombings by Boko Haram insurgents continued.

But MURIC, in a statement by its Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, described such thinking as “escapist and scapegoatism.” “It will open the floodgates of anarchy. Instead of solving Nigeria’s security problems, it is most likely to compound it.”

On its part, MSSN, through the President of its Lagos State Area Unit, Mallam Saheed Ashafa, said such consideration will ridicule the war against Boko Haram. “It was an unnecessary approach,” he said.

MPAC, through its Executive Chairman, Disu Kamor, urged the President “to exercise extreme caution in allowing the media to cheerlead him into taking decisions that may pit his government against the Muslim community or slow down the steady progress he is already making in the war against terrorism when he takes his eyes off the ball.

“Terrorism will continue to be a concern for the foreseeable future and the battle against the terrorists will be easily worn when all stakeholders are on board. Of course, all Nigerians will have to accept to make alterations to their lifestyle and way of life given the threats we all face from the terrorists, but policy-makers should not shape effective policy in a way that will clearly marry religious affiliation with criminal activity,” he said.