Kano State sharia police to arrest people eating in public during Ramadan

Nabahani Usman, the Commander-General of Kano Hisbah has said from Monday when Ramadan begins, his men will begin to arrest adults seen eating in public.

Usman said arrested persons would only be released upon provision of an exemption letter from a medical doctor or a proof of chronic ulcer. The Hisbah boss told the British Broadcasting Corporation that upon provision of evidence by any arrested person, he or she would be released with a warning not to eat in public anymore.

The Sharia boss had during the week arrested several sex workers and criminals ahead of the holy month. He said Ramadan was a special month for Muslims and anybody that practised Islam must fast.  

Usman said, “We do this kind of operation yearly and we will continue it this year. The aim is to get every Muslim to respect the month of Ramadan. Even if a doctor says you should not fast, that does not mean you should eat in public while others are fasting. So any Muslim that we apprehend eating outside, our men will arrest and bring the person to our office unless he can show proof that a doctor asked him not to fast.”  

There have been several reports in the past about arrest of persons eating during the month of Ramadan. Kano State has been practising Sharia law since 2001 when former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso signed the bill creating Hisbah.