The Kano State Hisbah Board has intensified its crackdown on betting shops and centres operating in Muslim residential areas, citing Islamic laws that deem such activities illegitimate.
The Deputy Commandant of the board, Mujahid Aminudeen, said this action was in response to complaints lodged by community leaders and concerned parents over the growing involvement of youths in betting.
Aminudeen stressed that the crackdown aligns with the board’s mandate to uphold Islamic values in the state.
“It’s illegitimate and unacceptable in Islam,” he stated, adding that the Hisbah’s actions were necessary to prevent what he described as morally harmful activities in the community.
During the initial raid, the command shut down 30 betting shops within a single community.
According to Aminudeen, the board will not relent in its efforts to enforce the law and protect the youth from practices deemed detrimental by Islamic standards.
“We will continue to close down and deal with their operators as it’s against the law,” he said.
He also revealed that there are shops selling alcohol and offering betting services in Christian-dominated areas but clarified that the Hisbah Command would only intervene in such cases if it becomes evident that Muslims are patronising those establishments.
He further disclosed that many of the bookmakers in these areas have been operating under false pretenses.
“They don’t have licenses to operate as they were given permission to run video games centres, which they later converted to betting shops,” Aminudeen explained.
