Lawyers Petition Tinubu, Security Adviser Over Ganduje’s Alleged Parallel Hisbah

The National Forum of Kano Indigene Lawyers has petitioned President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, over the alleged recruitment of a parallel Hisbah security outfit in Kano State, warning that the move could destabilise the state and threaten public safety.

In a petition signed by the forum’s National President, Malam Usman Tudun-Wazirichi, and National Secretary, Rita Benedict, the lawyers accused former Kano State Governor and ex-national Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, of sponsoring a private Hisbah-style structure for political purposes.

The lawyers expressed concern that the creation of what they described as a private or quasi-religious security body could undermine the constitutional role of government and endanger the fragile coexistence of Muslims and Christians in Kano.

According to the petition, recent security incidents in parts of the state point to what it termed deliberate attempts to manufacture insecurity, stressing that such challenges require transparent and lawful security responses rather than the emergence of parallel outfits.

The forum warned that reports linking Ganduje to plans for an independent Hisbah structure raised serious security red flags, noting that the initiative, if allowed to proceed, could undermine the authority of the elected New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) administration in the state.

They urged President Tinubu to intervene without delay, cautioning that Kano must not be allowed to slide into the kind of insecurity experienced in some northern states.

The lawyers further threatened to draw the attention of the international community, including the United States, the United Nations and the Commonwealth, should decisive action fail to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the state.

The petition followed the reported recruitment of 12,000 members into an independent security group in Kano, allegedly linked to Ganduje.

Reacting to the development, a former Managing Director of the Kano Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA), Baffa Dan’agundi, stated that the initiative was designed to provide opportunities for youths who had been disengaged from the state-run Hisbah Board under the current administration.

Dan’agundi explained that the proposed Independent Hisbah Fisabilillah would operate under the Ganduje Foundation as a voluntary religious organisation, insisting that it was not affiliated to any political structure.

However, the lawyers maintained that Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) clearly vests security responsibilities in government, insisting that security cannot be privatised or reduced to a foundation-driven initiative.