Katsina Hisbah Orders Closure Of All Private schools For Ramadan Fast

Katsina State Hisbah Board has directed all private schools in the state to shut down for the month of Ramadan.

The board, in a statement dated 27 February, said the closure is to allow pupils to fully observe the Muslim fasting period.

Aminu Usman, the Hisba commander-general, said the decision was in line with a directive from the state government.

It urged school proprietors to comply, warning that non-compliance “will not be tolerated.”

“The directives include extra lessons please,” the statement reads.

Although not a mainstream government agency, Hisbah Board in Katsina State is a government-backed institution responsible for enforcing Sharia law by Islamic principles.

Hisbah operates in several northern Nigerian states that have adopted Sharia law, including Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, and Sokoto.

It functions as a moral policing unit, addressing issues related to public conduct, religious observance, and social behaviour, often working alongside conventional law enforcement agencies.

Ramadan is a significant month in Islam, during which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.

The Ramadan fasting period in Nigeria lasts 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the moon, as per the Islamic lunar calendar.

Many schools and businesses in northern Nigeria, where Islamic governance structures like the Hisbah operate, often adjust schedules to accommodate religious observances.

The Hisbah directive comes just as the Bauchi state government announced a five-week closure of schools for the Muslim fasting period.

As of this report, the Katsina state government has yet to comment on the enforcement of the order or any potential exemptions.