Kano Hisbah’s board of directors arrested 25 Muslims during fasting hours during Ramadan, allegedly eating, drinking and selling food in public places.
The board’s deputy commander, Mujahideen Abubakar, told the BBC that the operation began on Saturday and will continue until the end of the month.
“It is important to note that we do not care about non-Muslims – no disrespect for Ramadan will be tolerated,” he said.
“It’s heartbreaking that in such a holy month, adult Muslims will be seen eating openly. We won’t tolerate this, which is why we go out and arrest.
“Twenty people were arrested for not fasting and five were arrested for selling food. We did receive calls from people who were angry after seeing people eating in public and we acted quickly by going to the area to arrest.” Abubakar said all 25 people were charged with being prosecuted in Sharia court and would be punished accordingly.
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and is essential for every Muslim. However, the exemption applies to those who are sick, pregnant, travel, breastfeeding or menstruating, and older people who are unable to fast.
Kano Hisbah’s board of directors is responsible for enforcing ethical regulations in accordance with the state’s Islamic laws. The agency was previously known for various activities, including vandalizing alcoholic beverages, arresting unmarried men and women found in hotels, and bans from using models in boutiques.
