The Katsina State government has established a seven-member committee to investigate allegations of torture by personnel of the state’s Hisbah Board. This action follows a viral video that purportedly shows Hisbah personnel torturing individuals.
Abdullahi Garba-Faskari, Secretary to the State Government, announced that the acting governor, Faruk Lawal-Jobe, ordered the formation of the committee in response to reports and complaints received by the government.
The committee will be led by the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Alhaji Aliyu Lawal, and will include representatives from the Ministries of Religious Affairs, Internal Security, and Justice, the Department of Public Service Administration, and the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). The Director of Security in the SSG office will serve as the committee’s secretary.
The committee’s mandate includes investigating the truthfulness of the alleged torture, examining other allegations of victimization and torture by Hisbah operatives, reviewing the law establishing the Hisbah Board for any lapses leading to human rights violations, and identifying and recommending sanctions for personnel involved in such acts.
The committee is expected to submit its report within 10 days.
Hisbah, derived from the Arabic word for “accountability,” is an Islamic concept that mandates Muslims to promote good and forbid wrong. Many northern Nigerian states established Hisbah boards following the introduction of Sharia law in the early 2000s. The Hisbah corps, operating under these boards, includes government officials, religious leaders, and enforcement agents, with local units supervised by community-based committees.
