Aleke Aleke in Abuja
Rights advocate, Global Rights Nigeria has appealed to the federal authority to call Kano State’s Islamic law enforcement agency, Hisbah, to order over human rights violations in the state.
A statement by its Executive Director, Abiodun Baiyewu, said Global Rights strongly condemns the recent actions of the Kano State Hisbah Board, which reportedly arrested several people for alleged violations of Islamic law, including failure to observe the Ramadan fast, “indecent” haircuts, and allowing mixed-gender passengers in tricycles.
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Baiyewu said these actions are not only undemocratic but fundamentally incompatible with Nigeria’s status as a secular state.
According to her, “While we respect and uphold every Nigerian’s right to practise their religion freely, we reject any attempt to impose religious laws on non-consenting adults”.
Hisbah’s actions, she said constitute intimidation and coercion, and such violations have no place in a democracy that guarantees freedom of religion, expression and personal autonomy.
“‘The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria explicitly prohibits religious discrimination. Section 10 establishes that Nigeria is a secular state and prohibits the adoption of any religion as a state religion.
“Sections 38 guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the right to practise or not practise any faith. Section 42 further protects individuals from religious, ethnic or sexual discrimination,” she said.
Additionally, Baiyewu said Nigeria is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which further reinforces these protections.
She stated that Article 18 guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion, stressing that no one shall be subject to coercion that would impair their freedom to adopt or practise a religion of their choice.
“Article 26 prohibits discrimination of any kind, including on the basis of religion, and guarantees equal protection under the law,” she said.
The Executive Director noted that the arrest and detention of individuals over these so-called offences are a blatant abuse of power and a violation of fundamental human rights.
According to her, “We call on the Kano State Government to immediately rein in Hisbah, whose selective and discriminatory enforcement of religious edicts infringes on the rights of both Muslims and non-Muslims alike. We are forced to seriously question the wisdom of allowing bodies like Hisbah to operate in a manner parallel to the constitutional and legal framework of the country.
“It is our considered opinion that their continued existence and funding is an affront to Nigeria’s status as a secular state. Nigeria’s legal system has already defined what constitutes a crime, and it is not a crime—nor should it be—to choose not to fast during Ramadan, to wear a particular hairstyle, or to ride in a shared public vehicle with the opposite sex.
“Standing firmly on this premise, we demand the immediate and unconditional release of those who have been detained by Hisbah for such non-criminal acts”.
Baiyewu also calles on the Nigerian public to resist any attempt to erode democratic freedoms under the guise of religious enforcement.
The Nigerian Constitution, she said remains the supreme law of the land, and all state institutions—including Hisbah—must operate within its bounds.
“Nigeria’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law requires the protection of all citizens from arbitrary arrests and religious coercion.
“We urge the federal and state governments to uphold these principles and ensure that all Nigerians, regardless of their religious beliefs, are treated equally under the law.
“We will continue to monitor this situation and advocate for the protection of human rights in Nigeria,” Global Rights concluded.
