NewStats: 3,262,013 , 8,175,868 topics. Date: Saturday, 31 May 2025 at 02:30 PM 5o73w

Islamic police raid betting shops in northern Nigeria

Mansur Abubakar
BBC News, Kano


Betting businesses have expanded dramatically in recent years across Nigeria, where football is popular

Islamic police in Nigeria’s northern city of Kano have started closing down sports betting shops, which they say are operating illegally.

“As you know betting is forbidden in Islam,” Mujahid Aminudeen, deputy chief of the Sharia police force, known as the Hisbah, told the BBC.

The crackdown was prompted by complaints from community leaders and parents, worried about the growing number of gambling addicts, he said.

On the first day of raids, 30 shops were closed in one suburb alone and their owners sent home with a warning, the Sharia officer said.

But Mr Aminudeen warned that now that the public was aware that the Hisbah was clamping down on gambling, those flouting the rules would be arrested.

Kano city is the capital of Kano state, which has a majority Muslim population and operates the Islamic legal system - Sharia - alongside secular law.

Bookmakers and bars tend to be allowed to operate in Kano's Christian neighbourhoods, though they too can face action if the Hisbah thinks Muslims are frequenting them.

However, the current crackdown is focused on Muslim areas of Kano, a sprawling city and the economic hub of northern Nigeria.

Sports betting shops can be found all over the city - most have televisions screens with customers watching the outcome of international football matches or horse races on which they have staked money.

Mr Aminudeen said such bookmakers had been able to operate under the radar as they had opened under false pretences.

“They don’t have licences to operate as they were given permission to run video games centres, which they later converted to betting shops," he said.

The sports betting industry has expanded dramatically in recent years across the West African nation, which is roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and a largely Christian south.

Many people go to bookmakers - to enjoy the camaraderie of other gamblers - though mobile apps are also popular to wager on the outcome of events and teams.

Nigeria's crippling economic crisis has also meant people are willing to risk a small amount in the hope of winning big.

But this had led to widespread addiction and parents were even complaining that children were dropping out of school to gamble, Mr Aminudeen said.

“These economic issues we are facing in Nigeria is God telling us to change our ways by stopping sins," he said.

The raids on Tuesday had focused on Munjibir, considered a resort area in the north-east of the city - with visitors flocking there at weekends.

“I am advising those running those betting shops to either shut down or we’ll arrest them and take them to [a Sharia] court,” Mr Aminudeen said.

It is not clear what punishment they would face - often such infringements carry a fine.

Sharia was introduced in Kano in 2000 - as it was in 11 other Muslim-majority northern states - and prostitution, gambling and the consumption of alcohol were banned.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4zle3j10mo?

How do they stop those guys with android phones.

They'll just migrate online.

Useless set of people called hisba

when it's time for Bet9ja and Sportybet to pay tax to FG the stupid Hisbah and their terrorist government will accept it through monthly Allocation and use it to fund their trip to Hajj in Saudi Arabia for their head slamming exercise. Clear case of Monkey dey Work, Baboon dey Chop.

Idiots displaying their usual misplaced priorities....

In as much as gambling is bad,but they shouldn't forget that it's one of the job opportunities that this country where dreams are being killed has provided .

Mumu people. If they ain't destroying beers,they are rading betting shops..... Whereas na Dem dey drink alcohol codedly I detest hypocrites with my last erection.

This raid is criminal and unacceptable in my view.

Nigeria is a circular state, and this sort of criminal harassment of innocent citizens is condemnable

So why open shop if you are not welcome

Hope they are not enjoying the taxes from the betting companies too

No need because most of the odds are halal odds of 1.01 or 1.10

To see 1.50 odds now na by strong Abuja connection

Religion and hypocrisy are like 5 & 6

Something of this nature is what I expected IPOB/ESN to be doing,enforce laws and orders,Build schools from the money being donated to EKPA,but NO instead they went about and be killing Police/People
They can never get my

Good

How can someone still be betting in this hard times 😔

FOOLS.. Why not go after the politicians who loot Kano treasury. Abi is looting legal in Islam?

Jobless bstrds

But if the allocation is distributed, you Kano will receive?
Religious illiterates in disguise

Nevertheless, they will be collecting their shares of the huge tax receipts from betting companies as usual. Same way they banned alcohol, but will unleash a jihad if you don't release their share of the VAT earnings from alcohol sells

I dnt betting but these Hisbah are hypocrites. When will they raid Ministry, local government office @6,7/8pm(after dey hit their coconut 🥥 head with dark spot) and knack those
fura da nunu, 🤔 😒 ,Hajia in their office .Dnt ask me how i take knw.Useless people

Are they running 2 constitutions in Nigeria? Does the islamic laws supersede the Primary laws as enshrined in the constitution? Dis country na wa oo

This Hisba of security are so annoying... hypocrites

Raid there because of?

VeryWickedBro:
No need because most of the odds are halal odds of 1.01 or 1.10

To see 1.50 odds now na by strong Abuja connection

E dey [center][/center],na you no see

Northern Nigeria should take the bull by the horns and go full sharia and disconnect.

They will be on the same level as Bangladesh and Pakistan


Instead of this picking and choosing

Modern banking is also illegal in islam
Pictures of people are illegal in islam

In fact anything after Prophet Muhammad died may as well be innovation and therefore illegal,

They will never go after their politicians. Only oppressing the poor

Sheistoopretty:
Yes, raid it. Destroy everything. Betting has rendered Nigerian men U$e/ess..... No brain to think and endulge in innovations and technologies

The only thing Nigerian men know how to do is Drink alcohol, Kidnap, r@pe, gambling and stealing... Too bad

I weep for Nigerian men to be honest

You that have brain cannot spell simple words. And you eat from these same men.

Be like say naa Prison una dey that side oooo

A classic case of hypocrisy! They will arrest tire. people may only go underground or bribe officials.

Meanwhile, they collect monies from revenues derived from these betting shops through the national coffers.

Well, I hope they know people still play it on their phones also

What kind of rubbish is this one in this country now......
Yet they will take a share from the lottery commissions

lol….one naijiria 😂😂😂 two different laws for different part of the countries….omo

I hope they know that these shops pay tax