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Jatau said the Hisbah was compelled to respond to the claims to set the record straight and prevent the public from being misled.
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He explained that the law establishing the Board, as enacted by the Sokoto State House of Assembly, applies only to Muslims and does not regulate or interfere with the religious practices of Christians or adherents of other faiths.
August 29, (THEWILL) — The Sokoto State Hisbah Board has dismissed allegations circulating on social media that it is imposing restrictions on Christian worship and practices in the state.
The allegations, reportedly circulated by blogger @radical.okoja.bia and others, claimed that the Board had prohibited mixed gatherings of men and women in churches and directed that church services be conducted separately.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Commander of the State Hisbah Board, Dr. Usman Abdullahi Jatau, described the allegations as false, misleading and malicious, saying they were aimed at discrediting the Board and undermining religious harmony in the state.
Jatau said the Hisbah was compelled to respond to the claims to set the record straight and prevent the public from being misled.
“Our response is not intended to please or offend anybody, but to correct factual inaccuracies, challenge unsupported assertions, and distinguish facts from malicious and fictitious misinterpretations,” he said.
According to him, other claims attributed to the Hisbah Board included an allegation that pastors could not sit beside their wives during church services, as well as an alleged agenda to Islamise Nigeria, beginning with Sokoto, extending to Plateau State, and subsequently spreading to the South-West, South-East and South-South.
The Hisbah commander categorically rejected the allegations, stressing that they did not reflect the position, mandate or activities of the Sokoto State Hisbah Board.
He explained that the law establishing the Board, as enacted by the Sokoto State House of Assembly, applies only to Muslims and does not regulate or interfere with the religious practices of Christians or adherents of other faiths.
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Jatau also described Sokoto as one of the peaceful states in the country, where people of different religious backgrounds are treated with dignity and respect.
He urged residents and members of the public to disregard the allegations and avoid spreading information capable of creating religious tension.
“The blogger should continue his campaign for whichever party he is working for, but should not link the Sokoto State Hisbah Board with his assertions on the political fortune or misfortune of the country”, Jatau added.
He called on religious groups and other stakeholders to continue to promote peace, unity, tolerance and mutual respect among adherents of different faiths in the state.
Tunde Omolehin is an award-winning Journalist with prose in investigative and storytelling that is connecting the dots between the under-reported communities and policymakers to ensure good governance and accountability.
