Council Cautions Jonathan on Systematic Cleansing of Muslims from Nigerian Army
The Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has accused President Goodluck Jonathan administration of marginalising Muslims in key appointments in 
institutions and engaging in systematic cleansing of Muslims from key positions of authority.
The position of the council is contained in a communique reached at the end of the expanded General Purpose Committee (GPC) meeting of the council held in Abuja recently.
“The NSCIA is concerned over the disturbing trend of marginalising Muslims in key appointments in Federal Government institutions. Data available to the Council indicates a systematic cleansing of Muslims from key positions of authority. This is dangerous for a nation which should encourage harmony and unity based on equity, justice and respect for diversity and pluralism,”
“Council also notes that admission into key military institutions such as Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) and patterns of recruitment into police and other security agencies do not show sensitivity to balance and social indices such as faith. Muslims who are qualified should be admitted and trained on a scale that shows respect for a multi-religious nation such as Nigeria.”
The communique also touched the raging controversy on the usage of Hijab by Muslim female students and workers, “The Constitution guarantees to every Nigerian the freedom of worship and religious practice. Appropriate Muslim dressing for women in all public engagements and outings is a mandatory requirement for Muslims. Governments and other institutions which deny Muslim females their right to dress appropriately such as wearing of hijab with uniforms are therefore in violation of the rights of the Nigerian Muslims.
“Council calls on the Federal and State Governments and all other private and public institutions to stop the policy of depriving Muslim women of their rights to dress in accordance with the demands of their faith.”
While noting that President Goodluck Jonathan has welcomed the recommendation of the Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North that the Federal Government should set up mechanism for providing appropriate relief to all victims of the Boko Haram insurgency, the council urges the President to expedite action towards establishing such a mechanism so that the much-needed relief can be made available to all those who deserve it.
The council also noted that the National Educational Research and Development Council’s (NERDC’s) new curriculum from primary to secondary school which has deprived young Nigerians of their rights to receive full and mandatory religious education is a major failing by all governments and is unacceptable.
It urged that children must be availed full opportunities to receive religious instruction and training until at least the end of Senior Secondary School.
“The new curriculum which relegates Islamic Studies/ Christian Religious Studies (IS/CRS) to a part of a subject (up to Junior Secondary School) and which made the subjects optional at the Senior Secondary level be reversed so that the two are made independent, core and compulsory up to the Senior Secondary level,” it said