Plateau JNI debunks alleged plan to establish Hisbah group in Jos North

Jama’atu Nasril Islam in Plateau State has moved to defuse reports of a new Hisbah organisation in Jos North, saying no Muslim group in the state has proposed such a body.

The clarification followed the spread of social media images showing people said to be wearing Hisbah uniforms. Salim Umar, JNI’s secretary in Plateau, said some of the images were allegedly created with artificial intelligence and circulated as if the organisation had already been established.

“I want to assure the people that no Islamic organisation in Plateau has come out to say it wants to establish Hisbah. There is nothing like that. It has never been discussed, and it is not part of what is being considered,” Umar told Blueprint Radio Abuja.

Umar said the claim initially appeared to be a joke but gained attention as users shared the images and accompanying allegations. He also argued that a Hisbah organisation with enforcement powers could not be created without legal authorisation from the Plateau State House of Assembly.

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I want to assure the people that no Islamic organisation in Plateau has come out to say it wants to establish Hisbah. There is nothing like that. It has never been discussed, and it is not part of what is being considered.

“Hisbah cannot be established without a law from the State House of Assembly, and the government has not done that. Therefore, people cannot simply come out and claim that they have established Hisbah,” he said.

The controversy came shortly after Governor Caleb Mutfwang declared the operation of any unauthorised Hisbah organisation illegal and instructed security agencies to investigate alleged activities by such a group. Mutfwang said no individual or group could assume government powers or enforce laws outside the legal framework.

JNI urged the state government to investigate religious claims carefully before acting, particularly when reports could heighten tensions between communities. Umar also asked social media users to verify material before sharing it, warning that manipulated content and unverified claims could undermine peaceful coexistence.

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Hisbah cannot be established without a law from the State House of Assembly, and the government has not done that. Therefore, people cannot simply come out and claim that they have established Hisbah.