Sat Nov 23 17:25:55 UTC 2024: ## Kano’s Islamic Police to Resume Crackdown on Betting Shops Following Supreme Court Ruling
**Kano, Nigeria –** Islamic morality police in Kano, Nigeria, will resume their crackdown on betting shops following a Nigerian Supreme Court ruling that overturned a 2005 law legalizing sports betting. The court decision returned the regulation of gambling to individual state governments.
Kano, a predominantly Muslim state operating under Sharia law alongside federal law, prohibits gambling. Abba Sufi, director general of the Kano Hisbah (the state’s Sharia police), stated that the Hisbah will enforce the ban with renewed vigor. Last month, the Hisbah closed dozens of betting shops, but operations were temporarily halted after the National Lottery Commission challenged the legality of the raids under the 2005 law.
Sufi explained that the raids stemmed from concerns about children becoming addicted to gambling due to their love of football, exacerbated by the current harsh economic conditions. He also cited numerous parental complaints regarding children’s gambling habits. Sydney Emeafu, head of the National Union of Gaming and Lottery Workers in Kano, noted that approximately 200 betting shops operate within the city.
The Supreme Court’s decision resolves the conflict between federal and state governments over gambling legislation, according to Sufi, who stated that Kano opposes the 2005 law as it contradicted Islamic principles.
First Piper 