The Islamic police agency, known as Hisbah, in Kano, Nigeria, has begun taking action against people who break the fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Last week, 11 Muslims were taken into custody by Hisbah officials for eating during the day.
According to a statement made by the Public Relations Officer of the board (Hisbah), Lawal Ibrahim Fagge, the arrests were made during the annual Ramadan enforcement operations, which included searches of eateries and markets. He said this while speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service last week.
“The individuals arrested include 10 men and one woman who were caught eating from her groundnut-selling stall,” he said.
Fagge clarified that while non-Muslims are not subject to the fasting regulations, they could face repercussions if found selling food to Muslims during fasting hours. The arrest of the 11 individuals underscores the strict enforcement of religious obligations during Ramadan in Kano.
“We apprehended 11 people on Tuesday, including a lady selling groundnuts who was seen eating from her wares after some people alerted us. The other 10 people 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. The only time they could be guilty of a crime is when we find out they cooked food to sell to Muslims who are supposed to be fasting,” Fagge said.
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