Yobe State, Nigeria, has taken a significant step in the enforcement of Shariah law and the eradication of social vices within the state by establishing its own Hisbah Commission. This move was initiated and endorsed by the state’s Governor, Mai Mala Buni, who is also the Chairman of the Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Hisbah Commission, a religious police force, is responsible for combating social vices and ensuring social hygiene in the conduct of Muslims living in an Islamic society. It’s important to note that the Hisbah Commission’s jurisdiction typically applies only to Muslims unless non-Muslims voluntarily accept its authority.
Kano State was the pioneer in establishing a Hisbah Commission in 2000, shortly after the proclamation of Shariah law by the Ahmad Yerima administration. Kano’s bold step inspired the creation of similar societal reorientation institutions, such as ‘A Daidaita Sahu’ in Kano and ‘Gyara Kayanka’ in Bauchi, across several northern states that adopted Shariah in the early 2000s.
The decision to establish a Hisbah Commission in Yobe State appears to be a response to growing concerns about the prevalence of social vices or the potential for their proliferation in the state.
Governor Mai Mala Buni officially signed the bill establishing the State Hisbah Commission into law on Friday, October 6, 2023. This law takes immediate effect and is intended to oversee the enforcement and implementation of Shariah while actively preventing various social vices within Yobe State.
According to Mamman Mohammed, the Governor’s spokesman, the establishment of the Hisbah Commission is aimed at maintaining the principles of Shariah and safeguarding the moral fabric of the state, as stated in a press release sent to The Pressmen.
