The Kano State Hisbah Board has arrested no fewer than 20 Muslims for eating and drinking in public during the ongoing Ramadan fast.
Tribune Online reports that Muslims in the country commenced the 2025 Ramadan fast on Saturday, 1 March, following the sighting of the crescent moon on Friday.
According to BBC reports, the board also apprehended five individuals for selling food during the fasting hours, which last from dawn to dusk.
Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam, requires Muslims to fast from dawn to sunset for 29 or 30 days.
Deputy Commander of Hisbah, Mujahid Aminudeen, confirmed the arrests on Monday, stating that they were made to uphold the sanctity of the holy month.
He said, “It’s heartbreaking that in such a holy month meant for fasting, adult Muslims would be seen eating and drinking publicly. We won’t condone that, and that’s why we went out to make arrests.”
He added that all 25 suspects had been charged in a Sharia court and would face appropriate punishment.
He also clarified that the board’s enforcement applies only to Muslims. “It is important to note that we don’t concern ourselves with non-Muslims,” he stated.
The Hisbah commander further revealed that the operation, which began at the start of Ramadan, would continue throughout the month.
He noted that the board had also arrested individuals with “inappropriate haircuts,” those wearing shorts above the knee, and tricycle drivers mixing male and female passengers.
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According to Aminudeen, the board often acts on tip-offs from concerned residents. “We do get calls from people who are enraged after seeing people eating in public, and we act fast by going to the area to make arrests,” he explained.
Last year, some offenders were released after pledging to observe the fast, while others were handed over to their guardians for monitoring.
However, Aminudeen emphasised that those arrested this year would not be spared and would face legal action.
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