Ramadan Arrests in Kano: Muslims Detained for Not Fasting
Several Muslims have been detained by the Islamic police in Kano for allegedly not fasting during Ramadan. Authorities reportedly detained nine Muslims observed eating food during the holy month. Kano, with its predominantly Muslim population, enforces Islamic law—Sharia—alongside secular laws.
During Ramadan, Hisbah conducts annual inspections of cafes, restaurants, and markets to ensure that Muslims follow fasting hours. However, some businesses in areas with larger Christian communities remain open.
Fasting from sunrise to sunset is a core obligation for Muslims and one of the Five Pillars of Islam, guiding their religious practice.
According to Mujahid Aminudeen, Hisbah’s deputy commander general, the nine detainees—seven males and two females—were unaware that Ramadan had begun.
“We have arrested them and plan to educate them on the importance of fasting, prayer, reading the Quran, and becoming better Muslims,” he explained.
The timing of their release remains uncertain. In past cases, authorities have contacted detainees’ families to ensure continued monitoring until Ramadan ends.
It is also noteworthy that over twenty years ago, Sharia law was introduced in 12 northern Nigerian states, all with majority Muslim populations, to operate alongside secular legislation.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, holds deep significance because it marks when the first verses of the Quran are believed to have been revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The observance typically lasts 29 to 30 days each year.
