Kano tricyclists found conveying opposite sexes risk ten lashes, six months ban

The Kano Hisbah Board on Thursday said tricyclists found conveying opposite sexes in the same tricycle would be punished with ten lashes or banned for six months.

The head of the Hisbah, also known as state’s moral police, Harun Ibn-Sina, told PREMIUM TIMES that the defaulters have an option of N5,000 fine or risk punishment depending on the gravity of the offence committed.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the state government reintroduced the ban on opposite genders from plying the same tricycle in its bids towards upholding Islamic values and respecting the dignity of female gender in the state.

The ban would come in force from January 1, 2020.

The Hisbah commander said any tricycle operator found carrying male and female passengers at the same time has committed an offence under the Kano State Road Traffic (as amendment) law 2005.

Upon arrest, he said, the offender would be taken to a mobile, magistrate, or Shari’ah court.

Mr Ibn-Sina, however, said the law is not applicable to couples, underage children and family members. He said adequate measure have been put in place to ensure the success of the operation with the support of the Kano road traffic agency (KAROTA) and other agencies.

Lawyer reacts

A Kano-based lawyer, Rabiu Rijiyar-Lemu, said the laws as introduced by the Hisbah would create unnecessary tension among tricyclists, passengers and the law enforcement agents in the state.

“If the Hisbah cannot provide a written document with relevant section explaining flogging and six months banned as well as N5,000 fine as punishment for tricyclists that ply opposite genders, then the law is void because it contravenes Section 36 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” said Mr Rijiyar-Lemu.

According to the lawyer, the main function of the Hisbah Board as contained in Section 7 of the Hisba Board Law 2000 provided that the general duties and obligations of the corps are to caution people when they are deviating from doing the right things.

“Kano, like many other cities in Africa, are followers of Maliki Islamic school of thought, and the school mitigates some harshness of application and implementation of hard principles of Shariah; that is to make sure there is peace, harmony as well as tranquillity among Muslims.

“Even if there is a law as stated by the Hisbah commander, this law must consider the situations of the Kano community first in order to ensure that the law reflects the wishes of the peoples to that effect,” Mr Rijiyar-Lemu said