In northern Nigeria’s Kano state, the Islamic police, known as the Hisbah, arrested nine Muslims on Wednesday for eating food during the first day of Ramadan, the BBC reports.
Kano, a majority-Muslim state, enforces Sharia law alongside Nigeria’s secular legal system, with the Hisbah monitoring cafes, markets, and restaurants each year to ensure adherence to fasting hours.
Seven males and two females were detained after claiming ignorance that Ramadan had begun. Hisbah deputy commander general Mujahid Aminudeen told the BBC that the detainees will be taught “the importance of fasting, how to pray, read the Quran and become better Muslims.”
Sharia law has operated in Kano and 11 other northern states for over two decades, guiding religious practice alongside civil law. Fasting from sunrise to sunset is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and is mandatory for all adult Muslims.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, commemorates the revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad. This year, fasting in Nigeria began on 18 February and is expected to conclude between 21 and 22 March.
The Hisbah has historically involved families in post-detention monitoring to ensure detainees complete the month-long fast, highlighting a mix of religious enforcement and community oversight in northern Nigeria.
Erizia Rubyjeana
