>
Many people reportedly sustained various degrees of injuries in the violence that erupted at Oyun Baptist High School, Ijagbo, Kwara State, following the refusal of the school authorities to allow students wearing Hijab gain entry into the premises.
The use of Hijab had generated a lot of controversy in some missionary schools in the state over the past few months.
The state government had on January 25, reiterated its policy and directed management of schools in the state to allow the use of Hijab by willing Muslim students without forcing it on anyone or turning them back for using it.
Some Muslim parents and their wards had on Wednesday protested against the management of Oyun Baptist High School for turning back some students for wearing Hijab.
A government delegation, led by the Commissioner for Education, Hajia Sa’adatu Kawu, had twice visited the school to resolve the matter.
Another delegation led by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Mohammed Saifudeen, also visited the school for the same reason on Thursday.
Violence, however, erupted when some Muslim parents stormed the school to protest the ejection of their wards.
It was gathered that an unidentified man rushed to the school to inform the protesters that one of them has been injured with a machete.
This triggered an angry reaction from the protesting parents as they looked around for various weapons.
A man in his early 20s was said to have been rushed to a nearby hospital after he was shot.
Normalcy was however restored by a combined team of Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The Kwara State Police Command spokesperson, SP Ajayi Okasanmi, who confirming the incident in a statement, said security personnel had been deployed to the area to restore peace.
He added that normalcy has been restored to the school and environ, noting that security operatives would remain there until the whole area is safe for residents.
(NAN)