Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has ordered an immediate halt to the activities of a group reportedly operating as Hisbah in parts of Jos North Local Government Area, declaring such operations illegal, unauthorised and unacceptable in the state.
The directive followed reports alleging that members of the group had been involved in intimidation, harassment, extortion and the imposition of unauthorised rules and restrictions on residents.
Mutfwang, in a statement issued on Sunday by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, warned those involved in the activities to immediately desist or risk arrest and prosecution in accordance with Nigerian law.
The governor stressed that Plateau State operates under one Constitution, one legal system and one legitimate authority, warning that no individual or group has the power to assume governmental or enforcement responsibilities not conferred on it by law.
He said the government would not tolerate the emergence of any parallel authority or self-appointed enforcement body seeking to impose rules, restrictions or sanctions on citizens outside the established legal framework.
“No individual or group has the authority to appoint itself the government of Plateau State. The responsibility for enforcing the law belongs to duly constituted authorities acting within the law,” the governor said.
Mutfwang consequently directed security agencies in the state to identify and investigate persons allegedly involved in the reported activities and, where sufficient evidence of wrongdoing is established, arrest and prosecute those responsible.
The directive also covers persons found to be promoting, sponsoring, aiding or abetting the alleged unlawful activities.
He further ordered security agencies to intensify intelligence gathering and other lawful operations to establish the identity and activities of the group, while ensuring that residents are protected from intimidation, harassment, extortion and other forms of unlawful coercion.
Mutfwang, however, clarified that the directive was not targeted at any religion, ethnic group or community, stressing that Plateau remains home to people of diverse faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds who are entitled to equal protection under the law.
He said the government’s concern was strictly about lawful conduct and legitimate authority, insisting that every resident has the right to live, worship, work, conduct lawful businesses and go about their daily activities without intimidation or interference from any self-appointed authority.
The governor commended members of the public who brought the reported activities to the attention of authorities and assured residents that his administration would continue to take credible security concerns seriously.
He reaffirmed that protecting the lives, rights, dignity and lawful freedoms of all residents remained a fundamental responsibility of government.
According to him, Plateau’s long-standing tradition of peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds must be protected, with the rule of law remaining supreme across the state.
Hisbah is a religious and moral enforcement body operating in several northern Nigerian states, based on the Islamic principle of promoting what is right and discouraging what is considered wrong.
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