The Middle Belt Forum, MBF, has strongly protested the closure of both public and private schools in certain Sharia-practicing states of Northern Nigeria.

in a statement by the spokesperson of the Forum, Mr. Luka Binniyat, the group said that it viewed the retrogressive directive as yet another manifestation of Boko Haram’s ideology, which opposes Western education.

According to the statement, the action served as a stark confirmation of the long-standing fears among non-Muslims in those states— that the implementation of Sharia does not differentiate between Muslims and non-Muslims.

It tasked the rest of Nigerians not to take the directive lightly, pointing out that it was evident that the Sharia states were gradually distancing themselves from Nigeria’s secular framework.

The group described as “most unfortunate development” the closure of schools which was made binding in States like Bauchi, Kano and Kebbi, some of which are bona fide parts of the Middle Belt region.

“It is deeply unjust that non-Muslim students and pupils should suffer significant setbacks in their education simply because Muslims in these states wish to fulfill their religious obligations.

“While these students remain at home, their counterparts in other parts of the country will continue attending classes and tutorials, preparing for national examinations that all students must sit for,” it said.