The Nigerian Police Force has approved the use of head scarf for willing female officers. The new dress code was unveiled at the Inspector-General of Police’s meeting with Strategic Police Managers on March 3, 2022.
The approval, under the leadership of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba, has approved a new and improved dress code for Women Officers which permits them to wear stud earrings, and headscarf under their berets or peak caps as the case may be while in uniform.
The Police Chief indicated that the Nigeria Police workforce has officers from every local government in the country with a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds, and an increased inclusion of female folks.
“This therefore brings the need to guarantee inclusion, gender mainstreaming, ethnic and religious diversity in the work place for optimum output and professionalism.
“This has informed the improvement for effective global workforce diversity management. Other countries that have adopted same dress code include Canada, the United States of America, Sweden, Turkey, Australia and the United Kingdom amongst others.
“The dress code is optional and Senior Women Police Officers have been tasked by the IGP to ensure compliance with the approved standard for women police officers who have opted to adopt the dress code.”
He added that this development, which is in line with international best practices addresses the growing concern for gender mainstreaming and respect for culture and diversity.
In a statement issued by the Amir of Muslim Society of Nigeria, Oyo State Area Unit; Mallam Abdulkabir Al’yakeen appreciated and commended the well-thought decision of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) as well as urge all Force Related Professions to follow suit with immediate effect.
“History would be fair to the IGP and of course, he has written his name on gold. May Allah preserve him on goodness.”
Similarly, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has reacted to the development by hailing police high command. The group described the approval as a landmark development and the beginning of a new dawn. The statement was issued on Friday, 4th March, 2022 by the chairman of MURIC, Zamfara State Chapter, Professor Ahmad Galadima.
Professor Ahmad Galadima said, “MURIC hereby expresses deep appreciation to the Nigeria Police High Command, particularly the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba for listening to the pleas and advocacies of MURIC and other Muslim groups which have been demanding the use of hijab in the security and uniformed agencies for decades.
“This is a landmark development in the history of the struggle for Muslim civil rights. It is the greatest news of the century and the beginning of a new dawn. It is another bite from the dividends of democracy for Nigerian Muslims. With this approval, the Nigeria Police High Command has proved that it is keeping pace with global best practices in police formations around the world,” he added.
