Umar Ganduje, Kano State Governor
Sharia Officers in Kano State Nigeria have briefly detained eighty (80) people purportedy eating in public as Ramadan fast continues.
The States Sharia Police also known as Hisbah "arrested the people at various times and places over the past few days", Hisbah's spokesman, Adamu Yahaya, has said.
Kano is one of about 12 Nigerian states that operate Sharia Law concurrently with the Nigeria's secular law since 2012 when it was re-introduced.
Yahaya told BBC that some of those arrested claimed they were eating because they did not sight the Ramadan crescent themselves while others feigned sickness, but the authorities found their excuses baseless.
He noted that they were admonished and released as they were ''first-time offenders."
He maintained that if they are caught the next time, they will be charged to court adding that the Hisbah's patrol continues throughout Ramadan in order to arrest Muslims who do not observe the fast
The Ramadan fast is compulsory for all adult Muslims but some categories of people - such as those who are seriously ill - are not required to fast.
The Ramadan 2019 fast started on Monday May 6 after the sighting of a new crescent. Over a period of 29 or 30 days, Muslims are expected to fast from dawn to sunset.
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