‘They Slapped Me Until I Lost My Hearing’, Woman Tells Story Of Alleged Abuse, Assault By Katsina Hisbah

‘They Slapped Me Until I Lost My Hearing’, Woman Tells Story Of Alleged Abuse, Assault By Katsina Hisbah

By Hafsat Bello Bahara

A young woman, Hauwa’u Lawal Sulaiman, has alleged that she was brutally assaulted and abused by operatives of the Katsina State Hisbah Board following an altercation with the officer-in-charge of operations, identified as Nafiu, at their Command’s headquarters.

The incident reportedly occurred on April 15, shortly after Hauwa closed her cold drinks stall at the Scorpion Arena Funfair in Katsina town. She claimed that she suffered a broken leg and a ruptured eardrum from the assault by the Hisbah operatives.

In an interview with DCL Hausa, monitored by our correspondent, Hauwa said the Hisbah operatives stormed the fair as it was winding down and arrested her two younger brothers who were helping her pack up for the day.

“When they didn’t return after a while, my sisters and I, along with a police officer, went to the Hisbah headquarters to confirm if they were being held there,” she said. “But the moment we arrived, we were harassed.”

She said the police officer advised them to wait in the car while he went inside to make inquiries. However, while outside, an unidentified Hisbah officer approached and began to insult her. “He insulted my mother and I responded. He threatened to slap me, and I dared him to go ahead. He slapped me, and I slapped him back. I didn’t know he was the OC Operations.”

The situation quickly escalated, she said, as other Hisbah officials descended on her for allegedly disrespecting their superior. “They dragged me inside the office and continued to slap me one after the other until I lost my hearing. My brothers were begging them to stop, but they wouldn’t.”

Hauwa alleged that the Islamic Police operatives confiscated her jewellery, recorded her contact information, and detained her in a cell where other female detainees were allegedly instructed to beat her up. “The moment they put me inside the cell, the other ladies beat me mercilessly,” she recounted.

She said she was later released along with her siblings after the intervention of a senior Hisbah official. “The doctor said the membrane in my ear has ruptured and I might need surgery. Even with that, I may never fully regain my hearing. I also had to get a cast at the orthopaedic hospital for my broken leg.”

As at the time of filing this report, the Katsina State Hisbah Command has not released any official statement regarding the allegations against its officials.

The incident has triggered outrage on social media, with netizens calling for a transparent investigation and swift disciplinary action against the officers involved in the assault and abuse of the woman.