The Congregation of Muslim Organisations (COMO) in Kaduna State has called on the management of the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) to reinstate a staff nurse, Safiya O. Ahmad, who was sacked because of her refusal to stop wearing Hijabs.

COMO which is a congregation of Islamic organisations including the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN), Council for Imams and Ulamau, Jamaatu-Tajdeedil Islam (JTI), Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), National Council of Muslim Youth Organisation (NACOMYO), Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN) and Muslim League for Accountability (MULAC) threatened to use any means including legal action to ensure that she is reinstated.

Addressing journalists, the secretary of COMO, Malam Yusuf Yakubu Arrigasiyu said on March 23, 2009, the management of ABUTH unjustifiably terminated the appointment of Safiya Ahmad.

"Prior to the termination of her appointment, she had been under serious pressure and constant intimidation from her superior officers in the hospital to remove her breast-line hijab. Incidentally, her decision to retain her breast-line Hijab has official backing from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) and ABUTH regulations.

"At the 8th general meeting on the November 15-16, 2001, the council deliberated extensively on the issue of nurses' uniforms. Among other things, the meeting permitted male nurses to use trousers and gowns with long-sleeve while female nurses were also given a choice to either wear a nurse cap or a shoulder length Hijab," he said.

Arrigasiyu said on July 7, 2008, the management of ABUTH met and deliberated over the issue of dress code for nurses, declaring that the ABUTH regulations interpreted the shoulder-length Hijab as the Hijab that is sewn above the elbow and never to the level of umbilicus and should cover the breasts.

"It is based on these facts that Safiya chose to maintain her breast-line Hijab as approved and subsequently all other accusations of being disrespectful to her superior, rudeness and insubordination were levelled against her. It is evident that some nurses in the hospital dress in very tight fittings that are quite intimidating as against the ethics of the profession.

"Unfortunately, none of them have ever been disciplined. Yet, to our dismay, the hospital's management took the harsh decision to terminate Safiya's appointment just because she chose to dress modestly," he said.

However, when contacted, the chief medical director of the ABUTH, Professor Abdulmumini Rafindadi refused to comment on the issue.

"Wait, we are going to issue a statement on the issue, it will contain our stand on it. The stand of ABUTH would be made public through the press," he told our correspondent on phone.