The Niger State Council of the Boys Brigade of Nigeria has called on Governor Mohammed Bago to withhold his assent to the recently passed Hisbah bill, urging him instead to channel his attention toward tackling the state’s mounting security and economic challenges.
The Boys Brigade’s intervention comes amid growing controversy over the bill, which has already been passed by the Niger State House of Assembly and is now awaiting the governor’s signature. The group threw its weight behind the position of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State Chapter, which had earlier condemned the legislation.
Speaking through the state’s Organising Secretary, Samson Pada, the council issued a communique following an emergency meeting, calling on the governor to prioritise the fight against banditry and insurgency over the contentious Hisbah debate. “What Niger State needs at this critical moment, in the face of both security and economic challenges, is a law or legislation that will address the security situation in the state in order to enhance the economic growth and well-being of the people,” the council stated.
The Brigade warned that signing the bill into law could have severe economic consequences, drawing a direct parallel with the Sharia law introduced in 2001, which it said triggered an exodus of people and businesses from the state and set back its development by decades. “Niger State is yet to recover from the social and economic setback after the introduction of the Sharia law. We cannot afford another such experience,” Pada said, adding that the Hisbah bill poses a direct threat to the peace and stability of a state long known for its harmonious coexistence among diverse ethnic and religious communities.
Rather than pursue the Hisbah legislation, the Brigade suggested that the bill’s sponsor redirect focus toward more pressing social issues, particularly the growing Almajiri street-begging phenomenon and the rising number of out-of-school children, especially in Chanchaga Local Government Area. “People need genuine development and not the Hisbah bill. We saw it in other states, and it did not bring any development. It has been crisis and confusion in states that have embraced the Hisbah law,” Pada noted.
While affirming its support for moral discipline in society, the Boys Brigade maintained that the responsibility for instilling such values lies with religious institutions, not a government-backed enforcement body.
