The Kano State Hisbah Board has arrested 20 Muslims for eating and drinking in public during the ongoing Ramadan fast.
The board also apprehended five persons selling food during the fasting hours, which are from dawn to dusk, BBC reports.
Ramadan, observed by Muslims worldwide, is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, requiring fasting from dawn to sunset for 29 or 30 days.
The fasting period is expected to end on Sunday, March 30, 2025.
The Deputy Commander of Hisbah, Mujahid Aminudeen, disclosed the arrest on Monday, saying the arrests were made to uphold the sanctity of the holy month.
“It’s heartbreaking that in such a holy month meant for fasting, adult Muslims would be seen eating and drinking publicly. We won’t condone that, and that’s why we went out to make arrests,” he said.
Aminudeen added that all 25 suspects had been charged in a Sharia court and would face appropriate punishment.
He clarified that the board only targets Muslims, adding, “It is important to note that we don’t concern ourselves with non-Muslims.”
The Hisbah commander further explained that the operation, which began at the start of Ramadan, would continue throughout the month.
According to him, the board also arrested individuals with “inappropriate haircuts”, those wearing shorts above the knee, and tricycle drivers mixing male and female passengers.
Aminudeen said the board acts swiftly on tip-offs from concerned residents.
“We do get calls from people who are enraged after seeing people eating in public, and we act fast by going to the area to make arrests,” he stated.
Last year, some offenders were released after promising to observe the fast, while others were handed over to their guardians for monitoring.
However, Aminudeen said those arrested this year would not be spared and would face legal action.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, declared Saturday, as the first day of Ramadan following the sighting of the crescent moon on Friday, February 28.
