https://4columns.org/dayal-geeta/cecil-taylor
The Kano State Hisbah Board has said the sale, consumption and possession of alcoholic substances are prohibited in the state though not made illegal by the Nigerian Constitution.
In an interview with SaharaReporters on Monday, Assistant Commander of Kano Hisbah, Nabahani Usman, said Section 100 of the Nigerian constitution confers on each state the powers to enact laws ‘that will suit their purpose and interest’.
He said the law is binding on anyone whether Muslims or non-Muslims, as long as the person stays in Kano State.
He added, “Kano State Penal code 2004 prohibits the sale and distribution of all alcoholic substances in the state. If you are found to be selling, consuming, or dealing in any alcoholic substances in Kano, irrespective of who you are, you are affected by the law, so whether the person is a Muslim or a Christian, as long as you are in Kano, you are affected by the law. If I go to Anambra and there is a law in place, I have to comply with it.”
He said the population of non-Muslims in Kano are over one million, and areas that are dominated by Christians are not usually disturbed by men of the Hisbah board.
“If you go to Sabon Gari, they buy and drink whatever they want and nobody disturbs them at all. It’s a different state up there. In Kano, (along) Igbo Road, Hausa Road, Yoruba Road, you cannot count the number of beer (sellers) in those places and it is sold openly but we don’t disturb them. Go at night, you will see so many people enjoying themselves, drinking. In fact, we warned our men not to go to Sabon Gari to arrest beer dealers; they should not go there to arrest. We know our Christian brothers and sisters are there and we don’t want to disturb or create anything that will generate disturbance in the state.”…
