Sokoto Hisbah dimisses claims of restricting Christian worship

The Sokoto State Hisbah Board has refuted claims that it has imposed restrictions on Christian worship and practices in the region. Allegations circulated on social media suggested the Islamic enforcement agency had introduced rules affecting Christian worship and religious gatherings. Dr Usman Abdullahi Jatau, the Commandant of the Hisbah Board, denounced the allegations as false and misleading, warning they could cause religious tension.

The controversy emerged from claims by a blogger, @radical.okoja.bia, and others alleging that the board interfered with Christian worship. These claims included restrictions on mixed gatherings of men and women in churches, separate worship services for males and females, and pastors not sitting with their wives during services.

The board dismissed these allegations, stating the law establishing the Sokoto State Hisbah Board only applies to Muslims and provides no legal authority to regulate Christian worship or dictate how adherents of other faiths should conduct their religious activities. Jatau emphasized that attributing such restrictions to the Hisbah Board was a distortion of facts, potentially undermining peaceful relations among religious communities in the state.