Harassment of Veiled Muslim Woman By Lagos Naval officer: Rights Group, HURMA Petitions Naval Chief, Others, Calls For Justice – Rights Monitors

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The Human Rights Monitoring Agenda, HURMA has sent a petition to the Chief of Naval Staff over recent incident involving public harassment of a veiled Muslim woman by a Naval officer at Ijora, Lagos State.

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The petition signed by the leadership of Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA Global Resource Initiative) represented by both the Executive Director, Comrade Buna Olaitan Isiak and Barrister Shakirullahi Obale for Legal and sent on Thursday, June 5th was also addressed to the Lagos Naval Base Headquarters with attention to :The Commandant, Nigerian Navy, NNS QUORRA, titled: Alleged Public Harassment of an Innocent Veiled Muslim Woman By a Naval officer Attached to Ijora Naval Headquarters, A Call For Justice to Prevent Public Action By Concerned Muslims.

The document was also copied to the office of the Lagos State Governor, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; National Security Adviser to the President among others.
The petition reads in part:

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“We wish to bring to your notice, for urgent attention, a recent incident about the public harassment and attempted murder of a Muslim woman in Niqab (in veil otherwise called Eleha) by a Naval officer from Ijora, Lagos Naval Base Headquarters.
“This event was recently widely circulated among many Muslim groups on the social media and this was reportedly determined to be equally resisted by some groups while some are as well proposing an open protest in the affected community and the Naval Headquarters”.

According to the petition, the matter was reported to the Human Rights and Anti-Corruption mass based body, HURMA by friends and relatives of the victim and HURMA promptly attended to it by setting up a panel of investigation and enquiry to quickly visit all affected areas and offices and as well call for general calmness with assurance of justice to both the affected family and the entire Islamic community who according to circulating report are threatened by the event.

“May we inform you that the investigating team headed by the Executive Director of HURMA, Comrade Buna Olaitan Isiak visited Ijora community where they addressed the Muslims at Ijora Central Mosque after jumat service on Friday, the 23rd day of May, 2025.

“According to report gathered by HURMA office, the victim, Mrs. Fatima Musa, a 40 year old fully hijab woman (Niqaabi) who is also an asthmatic patient was going to her house on the morning of Saturday, May 17th but got suddenly attacked around Ijora area by one young man, who was later identified as a Naval officer.
“The man requested that she should remove her veil (face cover) to confirm she was truly a woman because to him, she was walking like a man. This veiled woman initially resisted but later agreed to open her face for a fellow woman. A woman was invited from the bear parlor where the Naval officer was sited and this woman as well attacked the helpless Muslim woman for disobeying the Naval officer, a regular customer at the alcohol joint. The beating and other harassment, including completely removing all her hijab and face cover almost ended her life when a good Samaritan from the community suddenly intervened and rescued her.

“We were informed further that concerned Muslim brothers reported the matter to Ijora Police Divisional Headquarters on next day while two major accused, the Naval officer and one Mrs. Tawa Ojinja were arrested and were in the custody of the Police till one Lt. Commander Koko, a senior Naval officer called for his release on bail officially with assurance of proper disciplinary actions at the Naval base.
The Police complied and released the Naval officer.

“On Monday, the 19th of May, the other culprit, Mrs. Tawa Ojinja was charged to Magistrate Court, Sikiru Adagun Magistrate Court, Mba Street in Ajegunle, Apapa and now remanded at Kirikiri Correctional Centre while the case was adjourned to 10th day of June, 2025.

“According to information received, the presiding Magistrate instructed that the accused Naval officer be presented at the next adjournment date.

“HURMA led panel visited the Nigeria Naval Base headquarters, in Apapa where they were assured by a senior officer that the matter would be given all necessary follow up in the following week and all concerned would be invited to witness the disciplinary process as the Nigerian Navy, as an institution does not support indiscipline of whatever kind.

“We must state that it is however disappointing that the accused Naval officer seems now enjoying a shield from the Naval office and this is already generating issues within affected communities.

*We hereby request your prompt intervention for open investigation and public trial of the accused officer to avoid further public outcry and securing the image of the Nigerian Navy.”

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