Hisbah Police Reinstate Crackdown on Betting Shops Following Supreme Court Ruling

The Islamic morality police in Kano State, northern Nigeria, have announced plans to intensify their crackdown on betting establishments following a recent Supreme Court ruling that invalidated a 2005 federal law legalizing gambling.

The court’s decision clarified that gambling regulation falls under the jurisdiction of state governments, not federal authorities.

In Kano State, which enforces both federal and Islamic sharia law, gambling has long been prohibited under sharia principles.

The Kano Hisbah Board, responsible for upholding sharia law, confirmed that it would resume raids on betting shops across the city.

Abba Sufi, Director General of the Kano Hisbah, stated, “We will renew efforts to close betting shops in line with Kano State’s sharia law, which strictly prohibits gambling.”

The Hisbah had previously targeted football betting outlets last month, citing their promotion of gambling, but operations were paused after objections from the National Lottery Commission, which argued that the 2005 Lottery Act legalized such activities.

“This Supreme Court verdict resolves the dispute over whether the regulation of lotteries and gambling is a federal or state matter,” Sufi explained.

Sufi further highlighted that Kano’s stance against the lottery law stems from its incompatibility with Islamic teachings, which forbid gambling.

According to Sydney Emeafu, president of the National Union of Gaming and Lottery Workers (NUGLOW) in Kano, the city hosts around 200 betting shops, where patrons wager on international soccer games and horse races.

Sufi noted that the crackdown was prompted by complaints from parents concerned about children being lured into gambling through their interest in football.

“The challenging economic conditions have driven more people to football betting in search of quick financial gains, but many end up entangled in this harmful practice,” he added.