SOKOTO — The Sokoto State Hisbah Board has rejected reports circulating on social media alleging that it has introduced restrictions on Christian worship and church activities across the state.
The board said the claims were false and misleading, stressing that its mandate does not extend to regulating the manner in which Christians conduct worship or organise religious activities.
The Commandant of the Sokoto State Hisbah Board, Dr Usman Abdullahi Jatau, made the clarification in a statement issued in Sokoto on Saturday, August 29, 2026, following the spread of the allegations online.
The controversy followed claims attributed to a blogger identified as @radical.okoja.bia and other social media users. The reports alleged that the Hisbah Board had prohibited mixed gatherings of men and women in churches and directed Christian worshippers to conduct services separately according to gender.
Other claims alleged that pastors were not permitted to sit alongside their wives during church services. The allegations were also presented as evidence of an alleged wider plan to Islamise Nigeria.
Jatau, however, dismissed the claims, saying they had no basis in the law establishing the Sokoto State Hisbah Board or in the agency’s actual responsibilities.
According to the commandant, the legislation establishing the board was enacted by the Sokoto State House of Assembly and its provisions apply specifically to Muslims.
He explained that the board therefore has no statutory authority to determine how Christians conduct their worship, organise church gatherings or practise their faith.
“The law establishing the Sokoto State Hisbah Board, as enacted by the Sokoto State House of Assembly, applies only to Muslims,” Jatau said.
He further stated that the agency could not direct Christians on how to organise church services, interact with their spouses during worship or observe their religious practices.
“The Board has no authority to dictate how Christians should conduct church services, organise gatherings, relate with their spouses during worship or practise their religion,” he said.
The clarification was issued as the allegations continued to generate discussion online, with the Hisbah commandant warning that spreading unverified claims about religious activities could have consequences for relations between different communities.
Jatau said such reports could create unnecessary religious tension in Sokoto and undermine the peaceful coexistence that, according to the board, exists among residents of different faiths.
He urged members of the public to exercise caution before accepting or sharing information published on social media, particularly where such claims concern religion and could provoke mistrust between communities.
The commandant maintained that people from different religious backgrounds continue to live and conduct their lawful activities in Sokoto State, adding that residents should not allow unverified reports to create division.
The Hisbah Board also rejected efforts to connect the allegations with claims of an organised plan to Islamise Nigeria. Jatau described that narrative as political and unrelated to the statutory responsibilities of the agency.
He specifically criticised the attempt to associate the board with political claims concerning the country’s direction and electoral fortunes.
“The blogger should continue his campaign for whichever party he is working for, but should not link the Sokoto State Hisbah Board with his assertions on the political fortune or misfortune of the country,” Jatau said.
The statement placed emphasis on the distinction between the board’s statutory responsibilities and the religious practices of Christians in the state.
By clarifying its jurisdiction, the Hisbah commandant sought to distance the agency from the specific restrictions alleged in the social media reports, including claims concerning gender separation during church services and the conduct of pastors and their spouses.
The board also urged Nigerians, particularly residents of Sokoto, to disregard the allegations and refrain from using religious issues as instruments for political or social mobilisation.
Jatau called for continued peace, unity and mutual respect among members of different religious communities, while encouraging responsible use of social media.
The board’s position is that religiously sensitive information should be verified before being circulated, particularly where allegations could heighten tensions or damage relations between communities.
The development comes against the backdrop of continuing public debate over the role and limits of religious institutions and state-established bodies in Nigeria. In its latest clarification, however, the Sokoto Hisbah Board maintained that its legally defined responsibilities do not give it authority to regulate Christian worship.
The command therefore called on residents to rely on verified information rather than social media claims when assessing the activities and responsibilities of the agency.
For the Hisbah Board, the immediate issue is not only the denial of the alleged restrictions but also the potential impact of misinformation on relations between religious communities in Sokoto.
Jatau consequently appealed for restraint, stressing the importance of protecting peaceful coexistence and avoiding statements capable of creating unnecessary suspicion or division.
The board reiterated that Christians in Sokoto are not subject to its regulation of worship and that claims suggesting otherwise should be disregarded.
It also maintained that political arguments should not be presented as official positions or activities of the Hisbah Board where they have no connection with the agency’s statutory mandate.
Sokoto Hisbah Rejects Claims of Restrictions on Christian Worship
