In July 2025, the Hisbah Board of Jigawa State conducted a public destruction of seized alcoholic beverages valued at approximately ₦5.8 million, underscoring the government’s commitment to enforcing Sharia law across the predominantly Muslim state. The operation took place in Kazaure Local Government Area and followed a court directive authorizing the disposal of the confiscated items, which were rounded up during targeted raids on bars and shops in the region .
State Hisbah Commander Ibrahim Dahiru revealed that the seized inventory comprised multiple cartons and bottles, all reportedly intercepted over several weeks. Although no arrests were made during the raids—most operators fled upon sighting Hisbah personnel—the confiscated alcohol was formally taken to court before being destroyed in a public setting .
Dahiru emphasized that Islam strictly prohibits alcohol and intoxicants, which impair mental clarity and threaten public morality. He noted that the Jigawa State Government’s laws align with this doctrine, making the trade and consumption of alcohol illegal within its borders. The Hisbah Board pledged to sustain enforcement efforts and carry out similar operations across other local government areas to eradicate ‘immoral acts’ in society .
Local authorities, including the Kazaure Local Government Chairman and representatives of the Emir of Kazaure, participated in the destruction ceremony, praising the Hisbah’s diligence. They affirmed that the state government would continue to support moral law enforcement and enhance Hisbah’s operational capacity by providing additional vehicles and logistical resources .
This mass burning mirrors earlier Hisbah initiatives in Jigawa, where thousands of bottles have repeatedly been seized and destroyed—such as the 5,550 bottles worth ₦3.2 million in 2022 and 588 bottles in a previous campaign—all reflecting sustained moral policing and religious regulatory preferences in the state .
Critics, including civil society voices, question the environmental and economic implications of such destruction, advocating for alternatives like repurposing glass or converting alcohol to fuel or sanitizers. Yet the Hisbah leadership maintains that enforcement is a moral imperative outweighing such considerations .
Jigawa’s latest operation reinforces the state’s broader religious and social policy: alcohol-related vices are not merely cultural taboos but legal offences. Through regular raids, court-backed seizures, and high-profile destruction exercises, the Hisbah Board continues to enforce Sharia compliance and signal the state’s zero-tolerance stance on alcohol trade and consumption.
Credit: Punch news
