The Plateau State chapter of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has denied reports that a Muslim organisation has established a Hisbah group in Jos North Local Government Area of the state.
The clarification followed controversy over reports circulating on social media that a group had begun operating under the name Hisbah and was allegedly enforcing religious and moral rules in parts of Jos North.
Secretary of the Plateau JNI, Dr Salim Musa Umar, said no Islamic organisation in the state had announced plans to establish Hisbah or any similar enforcement body.
“I want to assure the people that no Islamic organisation in Plateau has come out to say it wants to establish Hisbah. There is nothing like that. It has never been discussed, and it is not part of what is being considered,” Umar said.
According to him, the controversy began after images purportedly showing people wearing Hisbah uniforms were circulated on social media. Umar alleged that some of the images were generated using artificial intelligence and subsequently shared in a way that created the impression that a Hisbah organisation had been established in Jos North.
He described the development as misinformation capable of creating unnecessary tension in a state with a history of communal and religious sensitivities.
Umar also explained that Hisbah could not simply be established by an individual or religious organisation without legal backing. He said the creation of such an enforcement body would require legislation from the Plateau State House of Assembly.
“Hisbah cannot be established without a law from the State House of Assembly, and the government has not done that. Therefore, people cannot simply come out and claim that they have established Hisbah,” he said.
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