Kano State Hisba Board operatives arrest several young men for not observing Ramadan

SEVERAL young Muslim men have been arrested by the Kano State Hisba Board for failing to observe the Ramadan fasting period and will be arraigned before the Sharia courts charged with breaching the tenets of Islam.

Sharia law is practised across 12 states of northern Nigeria, with Kano having the strictest regime as its Hisbah police rigidly enforce the religious code. On March 1, the holy fasting month of Ramadan began and Hisbah operatives were out across Kano metropolis enforcing the law.

Dr Mujahideen Abubakar, the deputy commander of the Kano State Hisba Board, confirmed the arrests in Kano. He explained that the suspects were apprehended during routine patrols conducted across different parts of the Kano metropolis to ensure compliance with Islamic laws.

In addition to enforcing fasting regulations, the board also cracked down on individuals sporting what it described as indecent haircuts, arresting about 60 people in the process. According to Hisba officials, the men were sporting hairstyles that violate Islamic teachings and cultural norms in the state.

Furthermore, the agency apprehended several commercial tricycle operators for allegedly carrying mixed-gender passengers. Hisba reiterated its stance against the practice, emphasising that it would not tolerate the mingling of unrelated men and women in public transport.