The Muslim Lawyers’ Association of Nigeria, MULAN, has vowed to reject the new directive given by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on lawyers’ dress code.

MULAN said the FCT High Court had in a press release on March 28, 2018 “prohibited the use of any apparel underneath wigs by lawyers and by extension the hijab by female Muslim lawyers.”

But in a communiqué generated at the end of its National Executive Committee meeting in Benin, Edo State, on April 3, 2018, MULAN said it would not adhere to the directive.

It described the directive as “unfortunate, draconian, illegal, unconstitutional and unlawful.”

The MULAN communiqué was signed by its President, Dr. Kamal Dawud.

It argued that the directive by the court was at variance with Section 38 of the constitution, which guarantees citizens’ right to manifest their religion.
It added that the court’s decision was “contrary to the 2004 resolution of the Body of Benchers which allows female Law School students and legal practitioners to use head cover underneath their wigs.”

“MULAN NEC condemns the directive in the press release in the strongest term and urges the FCT High Court to reverse its decision contained in the press release forthwith,” the communiqué said.