The International Peace and Secure Society, IPSS, has warned against the formation of a parallel Hisbah outfit in Kano State, describing the plan as a recipe for anarchy.
The warning is coming after former Kano governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, said he plans to set up a new independent Hisbah agency so that about 12,000 dismissed Hisbah personnel can return to doing religious and moral duties in the state.
Ganduje made the disclosure while receiving the report of a committee he set up to review the situation of the affected officers.
However, in a statement signed by its Director General, Comrade Yahaya Danjuma Yusuf, on Sunday, IPSS expressed concern “over emerging reports and viral media statements suggesting attempts to establish a new, unauthorized religious policing structure in Kano State by the immediate past governor, Ganduje”.
“As an organization dedicated to peace, safety, and community stability, we consider this development both alarming and unacceptable,” IPSS said, noting that the establishment of a parallel Hisbah group that is not directly under the control of the state government but a private citizen is a call for anarchy.
IPSS observed that Kano is a historically peaceful but complex state where harmony is cherished and as such, must be protected with utmost responsibility.
It noted that at a time when Nigeria is battling widespread insecurity, kidnapping, banditry, violent extremism, and social tension, the idea of creating a parallel Hisbah-like enforcement group outside the authority of the state government is not only unlawful, but dangerously shortsighted.
“This is not a political matter but rather of security and survival concern,” IPSS added, describing the development as a threat to the peace architecture of Kano.
The statement added, “The suggestion that dismissed personnel of a former administration could be reorganized under a private or independent Hisbah-styled group instantly raises multiple red flags. Kano already has an established Hisbah Board recognized by law. Creating a second version, especially one tied to a private foundation or political figure, would divide authority, confuse the public, and threaten the delicate balance that keeps Kano stable.
“Two Hisbah bodies in one state is not coordination. It is a recipe for conflict.
The constitution is clear and everything forbids it. It should not be taken for granted. Security, policing and enforcement powers are the exclusive responsibilities of the Federal Government, coordinated at the state level through the Governor, who is the Chief Security Officer (CSO).
“Constitutional protections exist, it is dangerous for private actors to control security in a country like Nigeria. It never ends well. It leads to escalation, confrontation, and instability.”
IPSS also warned that the risks of the formation of an unregulated or privately sponsored Hisbah group poses numerous threats, including escalation of insecurity through unauthorized armed mobilization; mixed loyalties and allegiance to private patrons rather than the state, as well as fear, intimidation, and social tension among residents.
IPSS added that a parallel Hisbah group would provide opportunities for infiltration by criminal elements, result in clashes with operatives of the existing Hisbah Board and security agencies in the state, and also lead to the destabilization of Kano’s already fragile security framework.
“Kano cannot afford experiments in security. We must not play with sparks in a state already charged with tension,” IPSS said, noting that there are better, lawful ways to support disengaged personnel “if the true intention is to support dismissed Hisbah officers”.
IPSS recommended employment opportunities, skills and vocational training and a community reintegration program for the dismissed Kano Hisbah personnel.
“Turning them into a private force is not empowerment, it is provocation,” it further warned, while calling for a thorough investigation of any statements, groups or mobilization efforts suggesting the formation of unauthorized Hisbah outfit in the Ancient City.
IPSS urged the police, Department of State Services, DSS, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, and other agencies to monitor, track and neutralize emerging threats from any unconstitutional security initiative.
The security agencies were also advised to strengthen collaboration with the Kano State government to provide full security cover, and ensure that no illegal structure gains ground in the state.
In the same vein, community leaders, political actors and the general public were advised to refrain from actions, endorsements or rhetoric capable of inciting fear or undermining lawful security systems.
