We don’t arrest non-Muslims because this doesn’t concern them and the only time they could be guilty of a crime is when we find out they cook food to sell to Muslims that are supposed to be fasting.
A number of young guys have been taken into custody in Kano on the suspicion that they did not follow the fast during the month of Ramadan.
Hisbah Board investigators, who are the state’s Islamic morality police, were the ones who carried out the arrests.
On the first day of Ramadan, which began on March 1, 2025, the individuals were accused of not practicing fasting, as stated by the government.
Dr. Mujahideen Abubakar, the Deputy Commander General of the Board, acknowledged the arrests and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to upholding Sharia law throughout the whole month of Ramadan.
He made these statements while speaking to certain journalists. The board reportedly arrested approximately sixty people in a separate operation for having what it referred to as indecent haircuts. The board cited violations of Islamic law and local cultural norms as the reason for the arrests.
The board has made a commitment to prevent the practice of mixing male and female passengers in commercial tricycles, which led to the arrest of riders who were accused of engaging in this behavior.
At least eleven Muslims were taken into custody by the Department of Public Enlightenment of the Kano State Hisbah Board in March 2024 for eating during the month of Ramadan which is in progress.
Lawal Fagge, a spokeswoman for Hisbah, confirmed the arrests to the BBC. He stated that the detainees who were taken into custody consisted of ten males and one female.
According to Fagge, they were released after taking an oath that they would not engage in the practice of purposefully skipping fasting again.
Hisbah said, “We got 11 persons on Tuesday including a lady selling groundnuts who was seen eating from her wares and some persons alerted us.
“The other 10 were men and were arrested across the city especially close to markets where a lot of activities happen.
“We don’t arrest non-Muslims because this doesn’t concern them and the only time they could be guilty of a crime is when we find out they cook food to sell to Muslims that are supposed to be fasting.”