Nigerian Police: Why Can't Muslims Show Islam?

Logo: Nigerian Police Force

Most Nigerians alive today have never seen a police man wearing a beard irrespective of his religious inclinations, neither have we ever seen a female officer wearing a scarf, in a nut shell, asides the name tags on uniforms, there is absolutely nothing to show that Muslim officers are  proud of their faith. This has cause many upright Muslims in Nigeria to shun serving in the military and paramilitary agencies. Due to the trust and reliability that Muslims have showed over the years, Western nations are devising various means to entice Muslims to join their military and paramilitary bodies. On November 28 2016, the police Commissioner for New York City, James P. O’Neil announced that the NYPD was making adjustments to their dress code which saw Muslim and Sikh officers being granted the right to grow their beards and even wear the turban if they so wish.  This came after an earlier episode in New York when a judge ruled on June 22 2016 that a Muslim officer, Masood Syed, be reinstated and paid damages after he was suspended for growing his beard. Islamic appearance for female officers should not be left out, in June 2016; the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) gave its approval for female Muslim police officers to wear the hijab as part of their uniform. As has been proven in places like Afghanistan, Pakistan and the likes, the length or thickness of the beard has absolutely nothing to with one’s ability to operate an AK-47, a magnum or even an RPG. In confirmation of this, on January 3 2017, the U.S. Army released new regulations that would allow Muslim soldiers grow their beards (males) and even wear the hijab (females). But, how comes in most countries of the world including Nigeria; military and paramilitary male officers are prohibited from keeping their beards regardless of their religious beliefs but are allowed to grow their moustache? Is the beard and moustache not composed of the same organic matter called hair? Besides, the constitution of Nigeria guarantees freedom of religion. Non-Muslims in Nigeria or anywhere else do not have the constitutional right to stop Muslim military personnel from showing their religious beliefs just as Muslims do not stop Christian personnel from wearing the crucifix. It should be however implemented that only people belonging to religions that emphasize growing beards or wearing the hijab are allowed to so as is the norm in Western nations where Muslim officers are allowed to practice their faith openly while serving. As for Muslim police officers in New York, they have to seek approval from the Equal Employment Opportunity Office, a Nigerian version can be coined. Looking at the countries that grant these freedoms to Muslim personnel, we see that they are secular countries (even more secular than Nigeria) so no one will be on point to call the implementation of these adjustments in Nigeria an Islamization attempt.

CAUTION
The argument and facts stated above would make many Muslims nod their heads saying, “This is how it should be”. But, coming home to Nigeria where the police are arguably the second most cursed federal government agency after the electric power authorities owing to the heinous crimes the security outfit perpetrates against the masses such as: rape, extrajudicial killings, extortion, e.t.c. some people argue that the introduction of the beard and hijab to the dress code of the military and paramilitary outfits will be a stain on Islam. Imagine the sight of a police officer with a beard or hijab demanding a N20 bribe from you, is this inevitable or not? We also live in an era where there are endless conspiracies against Muslims. Think of the possibility of evil agents disguising as Muslim officers to perpetrate heinous crimes which would be blamed on some ‘devoted Muslim officers’. Would the Muslim community be able to dictate who is allowed to look like a Muslim and otherwise?