A Cleansing Mission

Kano State Hisbah Board steps up arrest of prostitutes, drug abusers and indecent dressers in its renewed war on moral decadence

Ordinarily, the Hisbah is the arm of Islam set up to enforce Shari’ah laws and ensure high moral standard among Muslims in the society. In most Muslim states of northern Nigeria, activities of Hisbah, sometimes referred to as Shari’ah Police, are not pronounced but in Kano over the years, the Hisbah has become one of the most vibrant agencies pursuing social security and discouraging moral decadence.

As part of measures to discourage social vices, the Hisbah in Kano began a clampdown on youths who dress indecently and engage in immoral acts such as prostitution and drug abuse. Within the last two months, over 150 youths have been arrested by the Sharia’h agency in this regard. As a result, prostitution no longer thrives in Kano.

What triggered the Hisbah authorities’ concern was the rising spate of HIV/AIDS in the state occasioned by prostitution. According to the Director-General of the agency in the state, Alhaji Abba Sai’du Sufi, during a recent raid on the hideouts of prostitutes during which100 of them were arrested at Kurna Gafan in Garun Malam Local Government Area, 43 tested HIV-positive. Sufi expressed concern over the spread of immoral activities and vowed that the Hisbah will wipe out indecent dressing, prostitution and other social vices in the ancient city. “We feel concerned at the rate at which social vices such as indecent dressing, drug abuse, armed robbery and prostitution are taking centre stage in that area. These women and men of easy virtue go naked on most occasions, seducing their patrons and spreading the deadly HIV disease. We have mapped out strategies for continuous raid in that area and other bad spots in the state.

“The desire of Hisbah is to ensure a decent and crime-free society where our youths will live a decent life and become useful and resourceful for their families and the society. Shariah encourages good deeds and abhors bad behaviour. The Hisbah Board has taken it upon itself to rebrand our society by discouraging all these vices and encouraging our youths to lead better lives that can give glory to the Almighty Allah,” Sufi said.

The Hisbah boss also urged parents and guardians to watch their children and always ensure that they dress decently and responsibly. “It beats my imagination when I see our children on the street wearing their trousers below their waist while exposing their inner wears. What message are they sending across to the society? How can I have a daughter dressed half-naked, exposing sensitive parts of her body? What would be the response of men around her? A fortnight ago, we received some delegation from the United States of America and when this issue of indecent dressing was raised, I asked them if it is proper for some to dress half-naked walking the streets of the US and they said, no. I am aware that even Christianity condemns it and we all should … stand up against it and make Kano a decent society. It is the wish of Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso that high moral standard should be maintained in the state and that is what the Hisbah Board is out to protect.”

Sufi also noted that the Board is acting under the ambit of the law while fighting prostitution and indecent dressing. Making reference to the state Prostitution and Other Immoral Acts (Prohibition) Law No. 4 of 2001, Sufi insisted that, “Anybody of free virtue suspected to be a prostitute and found around night clubs, hotels and other places believed to be areas where any immoral acts are being perpetrated shall be guilty of an offence and shall upon conviction be punished with imprisonment which may extend to one year or fine of N10,000 or both.”

—Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano