The Sokoto Hisbah Board has responded to claims that its rules are being extended to Christian worship in the state.
According to Daily Post, the board denied the allegations and said its laws apply only to Muslims. The clarification came after several claims about Christian worship circulated online.
The claims sparked reactions after suggestions that Christians in Sokoto were facing new restrictions. One of the claims alleged that men and women could no longer worship together in churches.
Another suggested that pastors could not sit with their wives during church services. The reports also raised concerns about the role of the Hisbah Board and how far its powers extend. The controversy quickly moved beyond the specific claims.
Some people linked the allegations to wider claims about an alleged plan to Islamise Nigeria, starting from Sokoto. However, the Sokoto Hisbah Board has rejected that narrative.
Its Commandant, Dr Usman Abdullahi Jatau, said the claims do not reflect the board’s actual responsibilities. Jatau explained that the Sokoto State House of Assembly passed the law that established the Hisbah Board.
He said the law clearly applies to Muslims. As a result, the board does not have the power to regulate Christian worship or dictate how Christians conduct their religious activities.
This also means the Hisbah cannot decide how men and women worship together in churches. It cannot also make rules about where pastors sit with their wives during church services.
Jatau therefore described the claims suggesting that the board was imposing such restrictions on Christians as misleading. His clarification comes at a time when the activities of Hisbah organisations often attract public debate.
The agencies operate mainly around Islamic religious and moral matters. However, questions sometimes arise over whether their activities go beyond their legal responsibilities. In Sokoto, Jatau said there should be no confusion about the issue.
He maintained that the board operates under the law that established it. That law, he stressed, does not give the Hisbah authority over Christian worship. The commandant also dismissed attempts to connect the allegations with claims of an Islamisation agenda.
He said the board’s responsibilities should not be mixed with political claims or narratives that could cause unnecessary tension. Meanwhile, the controversy has highlighted how quickly unverified religious claims can spread online.
A claim about worship restrictions can easily create fear, especially when it involves different religious communities. Jatau urged members of the public to verify information before sharing it. He warned that false reports could damage relations between Muslims and Christians in the state.
He also called for peace and mutual respect among residents. Sokoto has a large Muslim population, but Christians also live and worship across the state. For the Hisbah Board, the distinction is therefore important.
The board says its laws are meant for Muslims and do not give it control over Christian churches. It also says the claims about restrictions on Christian worship should not be treated as a reflection of its official position.
For now, the Sokoto Hisbah Board has sought to draw a clear line between its responsibilities and Christian religious activities. The board’s position is that its mandate stops where the law stops. And, according to Jatau, that means Christian worship is not under the control of the Sokoto Hisbah Board.
Elom Fortunate Chiemerie is junior staff at modern crux that covers news on international politics, sports news and entertainment News
