Jigawa approves hijab for female security officers

Female security operatives in Jigawa State will now be allowed to wear the hijab while on duty, following a new directive approved by the state government. The decision, announced Tuesday evening by the Commissioner for Information, Sagir Musa, emerged from a meeting of the State Executive Council held at the Government House in Dutse. The directive affects three private security firms contracted by the state, particularly those deploying personnel to schools, hospitals, and courts. “By allowing female security operatives to wear hijabs, the government is empowering them to practice their religious and cultural beliefs without restriction,” Musa said during a press briefing. “This decision is expected to boost the morale and confidence of female security operatives in the state.” READ ALSO: IGP summons Kaduna MOPOL over viral N5,000 handout video The move follows a recommendation from the Council Committee on Schools, Hospital, and Court Security, which assessed the working conditions and attire policies of private security providers working with the state. According to the commissioner, the policy will affect female staff among the 9,969 youth recently recruited into the state’s private security system. “These companies are to allow female security operatives among the 9,969 young people recruited to wear hijabs while on duty, as a matter of religious and cultural accommodation,” Musa said. He emphasized that the policy aligns with the administration’s broader vision for an inclusive and respectful workplace. “This move reaffirms the administration’s support for respectful workplace policies that uphold modesty, inclusion, and dignity,” he added. The directive has sparked conversations across the state, with many hailing it as a progressive step toward religious freedom and gender-sensitive workplace practices in northern Nigeria. READ ALSO: VIDEO: Social media is a terrorist organisation – Sultan of Sokoto