The Kano Hisbah Board has detained 11 individuals for allegedly failing to observe the Ramadan fast, a mandatory practice for Muslims during the holy month, Okay.ng reports.
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and is obligatory for every Muslim, except for those who are exempted due to illness, pregnancy, travel, breastfeeding, menstruation, or old age.
Lawal Fagge, spokesperson of the Kano Hisbah Board, revealed to BBC Hausa that the suspects, consisting of 10 men and one woman, were apprehended at various locations across the state on Tuesday.
“Eleven people were arrested on Tuesday, including a woman who sells groundnuts. We received a report of her consuming part of her merchandise in public,” Fagge stated.
“The remaining 10 suspects are all men. They were apprehended in different parts of the state, especially around markets where immoral activities are prevalent.”
Fagge further explained that after the arrests, the suspects were released upon pledging that they would not intentionally skip fasting again.
He emphasized that the Hisbah will continue to conduct patrols across the state to ensure compliance with religious obligations.
“We do not arrest Christians because fasting is not obligatory for them. However, any individual caught selling food to a Muslim expected to be fasting will be apprehended,” Fagge added.
