The Yobe state Hisbah Commission has warned residents
against physical interaction and private conversations between men and women in
public spaces, saying such acts violate the tenets of Sharia.
In a public notice on Wednesday, the Hisbah said the
directive was issued from the office of Muhammad Yawudi Kale, the state
commander, and received the approval of Yahuza Hamza Abubakar, chairman of the
commission.
The commission cautioned against “physical interaction
between men and women on vehicles, especially on Keke Napep, motorcycles, or at
public gatherings, describing the practice as unacceptable under Islamic law.
The Hisbah also warned against “private conversations under
the pretext of chatting between men and women, especially in ways that Sharia
does not approve”, noting that such behaviour undermines moral values in
society.
The statement also cautioned against reckless driving, especially in public during weddings or Sallah celebrations.
The commission appealed to families and community leaders to
cooperate with its officers in enforcing the guidelines, adding that collective
responsibility is key to maintaining societal values.
Meanwhile, there have been calls for Hisbah groups in Nigeria
to be disbanded.
Earlier in December, Ebenezer Obadare, a Douglas Dillon
senior fellow for Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR),
said the United States should pressure Nigeria to disband Hisbah and make the
Sharia law unconstitutional.
Obadare spoke as an expert witness at a roundtable convened
by US lawmakers on Tuesday in Washington to discuss Nigeria’s escalating
insecurity and an alleged targeted persecution of Christians.
Source: Hisbah warns Yobe residents against men-women interaction in public places
