13 Women, 12 Men Arrested as Kebbi Hisbah Cracks Down on Immoral Activities in Hotel

13 Women, 12 Men Arrested as Kebbi Hisbah Cracks Down on Immoral Activities in Hotel

Operation part of ongoing push to enforce Shariah moral codes and curb social vices in northwestern Nigeria

BIRNIN KEBBI, Nigeria – Operatives of the Kebbi State Hisbah Board have arrested 25 youths — comprising 13 women and 12 men — during a targeted raid on a hotel in Argungu, as part of an intensified campaign against alleged immoral activities and social vices in the state.

The raid, which took place on July 3, 2026, was carried out under the authority of the state’s Ministry of Religious Affairs. It forms part of a broader enforcement drive to promote moral values, ensure public decency, and curb conduct deemed contrary to Shariah principles in the northwestern state.

In a statement released to journalists in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday, the Director of Shariah at the Kebbi Hisbah Board, Sirajo Kamba, confirmed the operation and its outcomes.

“On July 3, the Kebbi Hisbah Board carried out a raid at a hotel in Argungu and successfully apprehended 25 suspects allegedly involved in immoral activities,” Kamba said.

“Those arrested include 12 males and 13 females.”

Kamba emphasized that the operation was not only about enforcing religious codes but also about public safety, noting that hotels sometimes serve as hideouts for criminal elements beyond moral infractions.

“The raid in the hotel seeks to ensure the safety of people, as hotels can also serve as a hiding place for criminal elements,” he added.

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The director assured that the board would conduct a comprehensive investigation in line with the law, and that any suspect found culpable would face the appropriate legal process. He pledged that justice would be served after due diligence.

“We will carry out a thorough investigation in line with the law. Anyone found culpable will be subjected to the appropriate legal process,” Kamba stated.

The arrests have reignited public debate over the role and reach of Hisbah agencies in northern Nigeria, where similar operations have been conducted in recent months. In March 2026, the Kano State Hisbah Board carried out comparable raids that led to arrests and fines. In a separate development earlier this month, Kano Hisbah operatives also arrested a man for allegedly attempting to traffic two girls for domestic work abroad.

Kebbi State, like several other states in Nigeria’s northwest, operates a Shariah legal system alongside the secular courts, with the Hisbah board empowered to enforce moral and religious codes. Critics have occasionally raised concerns over due process and individual rights, but board officials insist all actions are taken within the bounds of the law.

As of the time of filing this report, the identities of the arrested individuals have not been released, and it remains unclear whether they have been granted legal representation or bail. The board has not disclosed the exact charges that will be filed, though sources suggest they may include immorality, public nuisance, and violation of Shariah provisions on social conduct.

The Argungu hotel raid marks one of the largest such operations in Kebbi this year, and observers are watching to see whether it signals a more aggressive phase of moral policing ahead of upcoming local events and festivities.

13 Women, 12 Men Arrested as Kebbi Hisbah Cracks Down on Immoral Activities in Hotel