Tension Mounts in Kano as Govt Enforces Sharia

This Day Online ^ | 02.02.2008 | Ibrahim Shuaibu

[forkinsocket]

Tension was rife in Kano following moves by the state’s sharia police against brothel, hotels and cafes situated in non-Muslim sections of the Sabon Gari area of the metropolis.

The sharia police numbering about two hundred were seen at night patrolling in seven open vehicles that carried dangerous weapons including bows, arrows, sticks and cutlass. They attacked a civil service club at Magajin Rumfa Road, and all the hotels that are located in Sabon Gari, an area where most of its inhabitants are Christians.

The Sharia Police, otherwise called, Hisbah Police, earlier turned down summons by the Kano State Police Command, which had cautioned them about their unconstitutional activities. “We’re operating our duties based on law of the state, and shariah must be complied with by anyone residing in Kano” a top official of the Hisbah said following the police summons.

When THISDAY visited the office of the Hisbah Police yesterday, about 70 females were found in cells, put there over allegations of prostitution, while one lady was in chains for declining to render relevant information.

Following the series of attacks on the Ibrahim Shekarau-led administration over alleged non-implementation of Islamic law in the state, the state Hisba Board tactically adopted means of enforcing the law in some part of the state.

Efforts to reach the state’s Hisba commander-general, Sheikh Ibrahim M. Maibushra at the time of this report failed as he was said to be in a meeting.

But a source in the board, who pleaded for anonymity, described the reports of arrests as untrue, adding that it was unnecessarily exaggerated.

The source, who was reacting to a publication in one of the national newspaper (not THISDAY), said the Hisba Board had its hands tied since they it was taken to court. he, however noted that the board has managed to reduce the inflow of alcoholic drinks to the state by intercepting them on the highways.

Admitting that alcohol is still sold in some parts of the state, said all efforts are being made by the board to bring the sale to it minimum, but quickly added that they have no intention to have any confrontation with the state police command or any other security operatives in the state.

The source confessed that the board has been under pressure to practically enforce the Islamic law in every parts of the state as declared by the state government, but lamented that the board does not have the power to really implement the law to the later, as the police still have upper hand than them.

“Hisba is handicap, even though we have been empowered by the state assembly to carry out our function, which is enforcement of Sharia law. We have a lot of limitations which why Hisba has not been able to impose the law in some parts of the state’, the source added. The source also denied the speculations that the board is plotting on how to invade Sabon gari area in Fagge local government, which is sole dominated by over 90 percent of non indigenes resident in Kano state, said the board is concern about the nefarious activities in the areas, but they cannot take law into their hand. However, THISDAY gathered that last Thursday Hisba members fasted and prayed against what they described as plots against their activities by enemies who wants to cause disharmony between them and state security operatives.

THISDAY gathered that the Hisba board who gave the directive had in a press statement titled ‘Hisbah and Police again’ which was published in the Thursday, 31 st January, 2008 of the state newspaper ‘The Triumph”, Alleged that they were kept for hours a d served with a petition purported to have been written by the Association of Hoteliers and Liquor sellers and a female divisional officer.

In the statement, the statement, jointly signed by the commander general and director general of the board, Sheikh Ibrahim M. Maibushra and Dr. Sa’idu Ahmad Dukawa respectively, also said they though they filled suspect form, yet after waiting for six hours they were informed that the police commissioner, Cp Mohammed Yesufu could not see them until the next day. The statement further stressed that Hisbah which was established largely to curb the spread of vices in the state in accordance with Sharia implementation, which has been embraced by the larger public in the state. It added ‘’People are trooping to our office on daily basis seeking for intervention into conflicts, filing petitions over worrisome public issues or reporting on places of criminal activities.

The statement added that it is in response to some of the public complaints that the board directed its corps to mount night patrols in some trouble spots of the state metropolis; said permission is sought from the resident divisional police officer before embarking on such patrols

[Mrs. Don-o]

Not for the Christians who have a choice of being exiled, dhimmitized, or dead. Sharia law would guarantee, I’m afraid, that Nigria’s huge oil revenues would be used to fund even greater expansion of Islam rather than building the infrastructure and diversifying the economy in a way that would benefit everybody.