Why Hisbah forbids Afro haircut, Shehu Sani explains

“If you have full Afro and you take good care of it,you will not be arrested.If you do ‘low cut’,you will not be arrested;But if you cut some part and leave some part of the hair as style,you crossed the line.”

By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor 

A former senator that represented Kaduna Central in the 8th National Assembly, Comrade Shehu Sani, has offered some reasons why Hisbah says it forbids Afro haircut. 

Hisbah is the Northern morality police and Shariah enforcers.

Their activities are more pronounced in Kano where the State House of Assembly recently enact a law  forbidding the selling, warehousing or drinking of alcohol. 

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Hisbah agents have been arresting anyone with stylish haircut, especially Afro, which is  a kind of haircut that was made popular by Blacks in America to articulate their identity. 

But Hisbah now considers Afro Haircut as a problem that must be rooted out of the North. 

Shehu Sani says during a meeting with some officials of Hisbah, he broached the subject of Afro haircut and asked them why they arrest people who carry that kind of hairstyle. 

He said via his Twitter handle: “I asked the Hisbah why do they arrest young Boys with Afro;they said if you have full Afro and you take good care of it,you will not be arrested.If you do ‘low cut’,you will not be arrested;But if you cut some part and leave some part of the hair as style,you crossed the line.”

A tweet by @Huzaif_adam clarifies that partial haircut which Afro represents, is forbidden in Islam. “Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, prohibited partial shaving. It was said to Nafi’, “What is partial shaving?” Nafi’ said, “It is to shave part of a boy’s head and leave the rest.”

But the post by Shehu Sani  generated a lot of angry reactions by Nigerians who wonder how does an Afto Haircut affect the morals of society or contribute to social disorder. 

@zeeman4lifffe said: “Is this not madness?!!! Na hairstyle cause electricity grid to collapse?”

@OJ14254617 said: “In Arab countries if you like allow your hair or Afro to be like TV Antina, it concerns nobody. E.g Qatar, UAE etc. The way Northern Nigeria practice Muslims is far different from Southwest ones. Nawaoo.”

@ositasnr asked: “So, what was your response to them @ShehuSani? Where do you stand in this flagrant abuse of the right of the people?”

Shehu Sani has not responded.