Creation of Politically Funded Hisbah in Kano by Ganduje Supporters a Threat to National Security — CSOs ~ Truth Reporters

…call for immediate disbandment* 

…says it poses grave danger to constitutional order

 

A coalition of civil society organisations under the umbrella of the Global Centre for Conscious Living Against Corruption (GCCLAC) has raised serious concerns over the creation of a parallel Hisbah group in Kano State, describing it as a direct threat to national security and Nigeria’s constitutional order. 

Addressing journalists in Abuja, the Convener of GCCLAC, Dr. Gabriel Nwambu, warned that the emergence of the new group—reportedly backed by political interests and allegedly funded through questionable channels—signals the rise of a dangerous formation that could spiral into violent extremism. He declared that the development is “a clear indication of another Boko Haram, as it has religion dangerously laced to it.”

 

Dr. Nwambu explained that the new group, known as “Hisbah Independent Fisabilillahi,” bears the hallmark of a politically funded militia disguised as a religious or humanitarian body. 

He said the coalition is demanding its immediate disbandment, insisting that the Kano State Government must issue a definitive public statement declaring the organisation illegal, unlawful, and a threat to state security. 

According to him, unregulated youth-based religious enforcement structures have historically been the breeding ground for extremist groups in Nigeria, recalling how Boko Haram began under different names before evolving into a violent insurgent movement.

 

He stressed that allowing a politically funded group of about 12,000 disengaged youths to assemble under a private religious banner is equivalent to planting the seed of future anarchy. Such a move, he noted, creates fertile ground for radicalisation, as the lack of accountability and the political context can hasten the adoption of extremist ideologies. 

He warned that what begins as moral policing can quickly transform into the operations of a fully fledged private militia capable of armed conflict. According to him, the time for decisive action is now, before what he described as a “private political experiment in Kano” metamorphoses into a national security catastrophe.

 

The coalition further called for a comprehensive investigation by the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) into the promoters, structure, and sources of funding behind the newly formed group. Dr. Nwambu stated that sustaining and mobilising a 12,000-man organisation requires significant and continuous financial resources, which raises serious questions about the possible diversion of public funds, money laundering, or financing through illicit activities such as kidnapping, criminal enterprises, or other operations contributing to insecurity in the country. 

He highlighted that such an unregulated force could easily provide a direct financial pipeline for arms procurement and proliferation, similar to the networks that fuel extremist groups across the Sahel.

 

He emphasised that in an era of heightened global scrutiny of terror financing, Nigeria must apply the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) framework rigorously. This includes monitoring funds flowing into religious-sounding non-profit organisations, which are often exploited for terrorism or other forms of militancy. Dr. Nwambu said the possibility that this group may have links to political militias or transnational terror networks cannot be ignored and must be urgently investigated by security agencies.

 

The coalition also urged government at all levels to implement proactive youth engagement programmes to address the poverty and unemployment that make young people vulnerable to recruitment into such dangerous formations. According to Dr. Nwambu, socioeconomic intervention is critical to preventing the transformation of disengaged youths into instruments of violence under the guise of religious enforcement.

 

He concluded by reiterating that the establishment of the parallel Hisbah group poses an imminent threat not only to Kano State but to the entire country if not addressed swiftly. The coalition insists that decisive government action at this stage is the only way to prevent the emergence of another extremist group that could worsen Nigeria’s already fragile security landscape.