Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State is set to establish Hisbah police to promote public welfare, assist government in preventing harms, including crime and related matters in the state.
A statement signed by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Muhammad Bello, quoted the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Suleiman Usman, as saying “the Bill has made the provision of creating the Office of a Grand Patron for Hisbah.”
While briefing newsmen on the outcome of the state executive council meeting on Wednesday, the attorney general said the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar shall upon commencement of the law, be the grand patron of the body.
The Sultan, he said, had been given that responsibility to act as the focus for identity and unity of Hisbah.
He added that the sultan would preside over annual general meetings of Hisbah Corps and Board; as well as advise Hisbah generally in the discharge of their duties, as well as recognize success and excellence and ideals of voluntary service.
“Apart from the board that was established, the Bill has made three innovations.
“One, leveraging on the powers of the Attorney-General, the Bill has permitted, where investigation is warranted, for the Attorney-General to appoint a Special Counsel, to investigate allegations of the commission of a crime.
“The state government in furtherance of the need to actualize the Islamic Law, the duties of maintaining decorum and peaceful coexistence in the state; and, also in order to assist the government as well as the security agencies in the preservation of peace in the state, conscious of the need as Muslims to fully actualize the injunctions of Allah (SWT) in the Holy Qur’an of al-amru bil ma’aruf, wan nahyu anil munkar (ie- the commanding of good and eradication of evil in the society).”
Mr Usman explained that the state executive council had approved the Bill for transmission to the state Assembly.
According to him, the development is a good model, not only for the state, but for other states in Nigeria and even globally.
He noted that it would be embraced as one of the concrete laws that would entrench the practice of Hisbah globally.
“The activities of Hisbah have been strengthened to ensure that only qualified and highly trained persons discharge the duties.
“Accordingly, the law has mandated the board to come up with operational guidelines and code of conduct as well as leveraging in the principle of incidence reporting to document any case of arrest,” Mr Usman added.
He assured that if the Bill gets passed by the State House of Assembly and assented to by Governor Tambuwal, it would bridge the gap that existed in terms of maintenance of peace, enforcement of law, particularly the Sharia Penal Code Law and the Sharia Court Law.
It would also assist security agencies and ensure law and order.
