The Commander-General of Hisbah, the Shariah Police in Kano, Nabahani Usman has said that adults seen eating in public during Ramadan would be arrested.

Usman said arrested people would be released when they produce an exemption letter from a medical doctor or a proof of chronic ulcer.

Speaking to the British Broadcasting Corporation about the development, the Shariah police boss said arrested persons would be released with a warning not to eat in public anymore upon provision of evidence.

Usman said Ramadan is a special month for Muslims and anybody that practises Islam must fast during the month.

He said, “We do this kind of operation yearly and we will continue it this year. The aim is to get every Muslim to respect the month of Ramadan. Even if a doctor says you should not fast, that does not mean you should eat in public while others are fasting.

“So any Muslim that we apprehend eating outside, our men will arrest and bring the person to our office unless he can show proof that a doctor asked him not to fast.”

According to Punch, there have been several reports in the past about arrest of persons eating in public during the month of Ramadan.

 Sharia law has been in practice in Kano state since 2001 when former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso signed the bill creating Hisbah, a sort of state police that operates based on Shariah law.