Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State has moved swiftly to prohibit the operation of an independent Hisbah police force that was reportedly being organized and funded by the immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
The Governor issued an executive order, immediately directing both the Police Command and the Directorate of State Service (DSS) to arrest and prosecute any group or individual found parading themselves as leaders or members of this newly formed independent Hisbah outfit.
Briefing journalists on Friday evening, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Honorable Abdullahi Ibrahim Waiya, confirmed that the new legal instrument, officially titled “Kano State Prohibition of Hisbah Fishabililah Order 2025,” takes immediate effect.
A Rival Security Structure
The executive action comes after Dr. Ganduje’s foundation initiated the recruitment of a 12,000-strong independent security group, an effort launched amidst the state’s current security concerns.
A few days ago, the former Managing Director of the Kano Road Transport Agency (KAROTA) during the Ganduje administration, Baffa DanAgundi, was seen issuing recruitment forms to willing youths. DanAgundi had argued that the initiative, which he claimed was entirely devoid of political undertones, was designed purely to create job opportunities for the thousands of individuals who had been relieved of their duties by the present state government.
He clarified that the new Independent Hisbah Fisabilillah would be established under the Ganduje Foundation as a voluntary, non-affiliated group intended to render religious services.
Executive Order Declares Parallel Body Illegal
Commissioner Waiya explained that the state government’s attention was drawn to “certain individuals and groups undertaking recruitment, mobilization and organization of persons into a body described as ‘Independent Hisbah Fisabilillahi’, without lawful authority and in contravention of the Laws of Kano State.”
He stated emphatically that creating parallel, unauthorized enforcement structures within Kano State constitutes an unlawful act that is “capable of disturbing the peace and undermining statutory functions of the Hisbah Board.”
Reading key sections of the new order, the Commissioner underscored the gravity of the directive:
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“It shall not be lawful for any person or group of persons to recruit, assemble, mobilize, train or deploy any person for the purposes of operating a parallel Hisbah or similar enforcement outfit in the State.”
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“It shall not be lawful for anybody to constitute, establish, form or promote any association, body, corps, formation or organisation in the name of Independent Hisbah Fisabilillahi or by whatever name or description called.”
The Commissioner declared the formation of the Independent Hisbah Fisabilillahi as unlawful and prohibited it from operating or carrying out any activity in the State. Any action taken in furtherance of such an entity is deemed illegal and void.
As a serious deterrent, Commissioner Waiya announced that any person contravening the provisions of the order will be liable to prosecution under applicable state laws, including those for unlawful assembly, impersonation of lawful authorities, and the establishment of unauthorized security or enforcement groups.
