Former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has said that members of the Hisbah corps in northern Nigeria do not carry firearms, emphasizing that the organization operates under the framework of Sharia law and is concerned only with matters involving Muslims.
Kwankwaso made the remarks during an interview with News Central TV while responding to questions about the role and operations of the Hisbah in northern Nigeria.
According to him, the Hisbah functions as an Islamic religious police established following the introduction of Sharia law in several northern states. He explained that the corps was created to support the implementation of Sharia and is not a conventional armed security agency.
Kwankwaso stated that Hisbah personnel do not carry guns while carrying out their duties.
“The Hisbah that we have in northern Nigeria have no guns. No Hisbah man anywhere has guns,” he said during the interview.
He further explained that the establishment of the Hisbah was linked to the adoption of Sharia law by about 12 northern states.
According to Kwankwaso, the organization derives its responsibilities from the implementation of the Islamic legal system introduced in those states and is tasked with matters relating to the observance of Sharia among Muslims.
“The Hisbah came as a result of Sharia which about 12 states inaugurated in northern Nigeria,” he said.
Kwankwaso stressed that Sharia law applies only to Muslims and does not extend to Christians or adherents of other religions.
He maintained that the activities of the Hisbah are limited to issues involving Muslims and should not be interpreted as applying to the wider population.
“But those ones have to do with Muslims only, they have nothing to do with Christians. Sharia is for the Muslims,” he added.
The former governor’s comments were made in the context of explaining the legal and religious basis for the Hisbah’s existence and clarifying its scope of operation.
According to Kwankwaso, the corps is not intended to enforce religious laws on non-Muslims, as its mandate is tied specifically to the implementation of Sharia in states where the legal framework has been adopted.
His remarks sought to distinguish the Hisbah from conventional law enforcement agencies by emphasizing both its religious foundation and the absence of firearms among its personnel.
The Hisbah operates in several northern Nigerian states that have adopted Sharia-based legal systems, carrying out functions that vary by state in accordance with local laws and regulations.
Kwankwaso’s comments have contributed to ongoing discussions about the role of the Hisbah, the implementation of Sharia law, and the relationship between religious and civil institutions in northern Nigeria.
The former governor reiterated that, in his view, the organization’s mandate remains limited to Muslims and does not extend to Christians or other non-Muslim residents of the states where it operates.
His remarks on News Central TV were aimed at clarifying what he described as the purpose, legal basis, and operational limits of the Hisbah, particularly regarding its lack of firearms and its focus on matters relating to the Muslim community.
