Sokoto Hisbah: Denies Christian Worship Restrictions Claims

• The Sokoto State Hisbah Board has denied social media claims that it imposed restrictions on Christian worship and practices.
• Commandant Dr. Usman Abdullahi Jatau clarified that the board's establishing law applies exclusively to Muslims, not to other faiths.
• Allegations included prohibitions on mixed-gender church gatherings, gender-separated services, and pastors sitting with wives.
• Jatau dismissed claims of a plan to Islamise Nigeria as false and unrelated to the Hisbah's statutory responsibilities.
• The board urged the public to disregard unverified information and promote peace, unity, and mutual respect among religious groups.

The law establishing the Sokoto State Hisbah Board, as enacted by the Sokoto State House of Assembly, is solely applicable to the Muslim population.

The Sokoto State Hisbah Board has publicly refuted allegations suggesting it imposed limitations on Christian religious practices and worship within the state. These claims, which circulated widely on social media platforms, posited that the Islamic enforcement agency had introduced new regulations affecting how Christians conduct their services and organize communal gatherings. Dr. Usman Abdullahi Jatau, the Commandant of the board, promptly dismissed these accusations as both false and misleading, warning that such narratives possessed the potential to ignite significant religious tensions across the state.

The controversy reportedly stemmed from assertions made by a blogger identified as @radical.okoja.bia, among others, who alleged direct interference by the board in Christian worship. Specific claims included prohibitions on mixed-gender gatherings within churches, a requirement for Christian worship services to be segregated by sex, and restrictions preventing pastors from sitting alongside their wives during church activities. These allegations further suggested that the supposed restrictions were part of a broader, coordinated plan to Islamise Nigeria, commencing in Sokoto and intended to spread to other regions of the country.

In a detailed statement released on Saturday, Dr. Jatau clarified that these allegations did not accurately reflect the established mandate or operational activities of the Sokoto State Hisbah Board. He firmly rejected the notion that the alleged restrictions were part of a broader strategy to Islamise Nigeria, emphasizing that such claims were entirely unfounded. Jatau underscored that the legal framework governing the Sokoto Hisbah applies exclusively to Muslims, defining the clear limits of its jurisdiction.

The Commandant further emphasized that the board possesses no legal authority to regulate Christian worship or to dictate the manner in which adherents of other faiths conduct their religious observances. He asserted that attributing such restrictions to the Hisbah Board amounted to a significant distortion of facts, which could severely undermine the peaceful coexistence among various religious communities in the state. This official stance directly addresses the "Sokoto Hisbah denies Christian worship restrictions" narrative.

Dr. Jatau explicitly stated that the law establishing the Sokoto State Hisbah Board, as enacted by the Sokoto State House of Assembly, is solely applicable to the Muslim population. This foundational legal principle means the board cannot determine how Christians structure their worship services, manage mixed gatherings, or interact with their spouses during religious activities. This clarification from the Sokoto Hisbah Board is crucial for understanding the precise scope of its authority and its mandate, particularly in the context of Nigeria religious freedom claims.

He further elaborated that the board's public response was not intended to appease or offend any party, but rather to rectify factual inaccuracies, challenge unsubstantiated assertions, and differentiate verifiable facts from malicious or fictitious misinterpretations. This highlights the board's commitment to ensuring the correct application of the Sokoto Hisbah law, reinforcing that its powers do not extend beyond the Muslim community.

The Commandant also cautioned strongly against associating the board with political narratives, particularly those concerning a coordinated plan for the Islamisation of Nigeria. He stressed that such claims bear no relevance to the statutory responsibilities of the Sokoto State Hisbah Board, which operates under a specific legal framework. Jatau suggested that the blogger in question should pursue their political agenda without attempting to link the Hisbah Board to their assertions regarding the country's political fortunes or misfortunes.

The board urged both residents of Sokoto and other Nigerians to disregard these allegations and to refrain from disseminating unverified information that could foster distrust and hostility among different religious groups. It concluded by advocating for peace, unity, and mutual respect among all faith communities within the state, reinforcing the importance of accurate reporting regarding the Sokoto Hisbah denies Christian worship restrictions narrative and the true nature of the Sokoto State Hisbah Board mandate.

This clarification from the Sokoto Hisbah Board is crucial for lawyers advising clients on religious freedom and compliance in Nigeria, as it explicitly defines the Hisbah's jurisdiction as applying only to Muslims and not to Christian worship. It provides a clear legal basis to challenge any attempts by the Hisbah to regulate non-Muslim religious practices in Sokoto State.

Source: Original reporting from PUNCH newspaper