Katsina State Hisbah Board has directed all private schools in the state to shut down for the month of Ramadan.
The board, in a statement dated 27 February, said the closure is to allow pupils to fully observe the Muslim fasting period.
Aminu Usman, the Hisba commander-general, said the decision was in line with a directive from the state government.
It urged school proprietors to comply, warning that non-compliance “will not be tolerated.”
“The directives include extra lessons please,” the statement reads.
Although not a mainstream government agency, Hisbah Board in Katsina State is a government-backed institution responsible for enforcing Sharia law by Islamic principles.
Hisbah operates in several northern Nigerian states that have adopted Sharia law, including Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, and Sokoto.
It functions as a moral policing unit, addressing issues related to public conduct, religious observance, and social behaviour, often working alongside conventional law enforcement agencies.
Ramadan is a significant month in Islam, during which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
The Ramadan fasting period in Nigeria lasts 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the moon, as per the Islamic lunar calendar.
Many schools and businesses in northern Nigeria, where Islamic governance structures like the Hisbah operate, often adjust schedules to accommodate religious observances.
The Hisbah directive comes just as the Bauchi state government announced a five-week closure of schools for the Muslim fasting period.
According to the directive, schools in Bauchi will remain closed from February 26, 2025, until the end of Ramadan and the Salah celebration, with classes resuming on April 5.
The official academic calendar obtained by SaharaReporters indicates that the second term of the 2024/2025 session began on January 5, 2025.
However, the Bauchi State government divided the term into two phases: the first from January 5 to February 28, followed by a five-week break from March 1 to April 5.
Classes are set to resume from April 6 to April 29. The directive has sparked outrage online following SaharaReporters’ report, though the government remains firm on its decision.
Meanwhile, as of this report, the Katsina state government has yet to comment on the enforcement of the order or any potential exemptions.
