THE Kano Hisbah board said that it prohibited the sale of beer to ensure that residents of the state were not always intoxicated.
This was according to a statement issued by the board’s Spokesperson Lawan Ibrahim-Fagge while explaining why it seized two vehicles loaded with 5,760 cartons of assorted drink on Kano-Madobi Road on Wednesday.
“Hisbah board has prohibited the sale of beer in the state to avoid being intoxicated,” Ibrahim-Fagge said in a press statement on Thursday.
Ibrahim-Fagge vowed that Hisbah would continue to sustain the fight against drugs and other intoxicating substances among youths in the state.
He commended the efforts of Hisbah corps, volunteers and stakeholders, for their commitment, adding that the unwholesome practice had been a source of concern to the society.
Hisbah, an Islamic religious police, has seized and destroyed more than N500 million worth of beer in Kano alone over the years.
In 2020, Hisbah, under the endorsement and supervision of the Kano State government, destroyed beer bottles worth N200 million seized by Hisbah
The development has continued to generate concern and sharp criticisms, especially for some northern states where Sharia law is practised.
Critics argue that Kano destroys bottles of beer but benefits from value added tax (VAT) from alcohol taxes.
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Kano State Government should be held accountable for the actions of its Religious Police and made to pay the full value of the Lorry and its contents.