In Kano, Nigeria's northern city, the Islamic police, known as the Hisbah, have begun shutting down sports betting shops, citing their illegal operations.
Mujahid Aminudeen, the deputy chief of the Sharia police, emphasised that betting is forbidden in Islam and that this crackdown was driven by complaints from community leaders and concerned parents about the rise of gambling addiction.
On the first day of the raids, 30 betting shops were closed in a single suburb, with their owners receiving warnings. Aminudeen made it clear that with public awareness of the crackdown, future violations would result in arrests.
Kano, the capital of Kano State, operates under a dual legal system—Islamic Sharia law and secular law. While bookmakers and bars are generally permitted in Christian neighborhoods, the current focus is on Muslim areas where these shops are more widespread. Many betting shops operate under the guise of video game centers, lacking proper licenses, according to Aminudeen.
In these shops, customers can be seen placing bets on international football matches or horse races, a practice that is now under strict scrutiny in the city, the economic hub of northern Nigeria.
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