Hizbah dismisses reports on invitation of newly crowned Miss Nigeria, Garko’s parents

The Kano State Shariah Police, Hizbah Board, has dismissed reports that the newly crowned Miss Nigeria, Shatu Garko, and her parents had been invited for questioning over her participation in the beauty pageant.

Garko, 18, beat 18 other contestants to win the 44th edition of the Miss Nigeria beauty pageant held last Friday.

She was the first woman in Hijab to win the competition.

The Commander of the Hisbah Board, Sheik Harun Ibn Sina, had in a chat with the BBC Pidgin on Wednesday in Kano, said the girl’s parents were invited to let them know that it was unIslamic for their daughter to partake in any beauty contest.

He said: “We (Hisbah) have confirmed that Shatu Garko is a Muslim from Kano State and her parents are from Garko Local Government Area.

READ ALSO: Kano Hisbah to question parents of newly-crowned Miss Nigeria, Shatu Garko, over girl’s participation in beauty pageant

“Kano is a Sharia state and this is why we will not allow the matter to go like that. We will invite the parents to warn them about the actions of their daughter and the fact that what she did was illegal in Islam in case they don’t know so that she will not continue that path and also stop other girls copying her.”

However, the agency’s Director-General, Dr. Aliyu Musa Kibiya, who addressed journalists in Kano, said the board never invited the girl or her parents for questioning.

He said the Hisbah’s commander only stressed that participation in a beauty contest was sinful.

Kibiya said: “We never at any time issued any instruction inviting the girl or her parents for questioning.

“It was fake news. Hizbah only preached against the immoral acts of nudity and revealing the forbidden parts of the body of a woman which is sinful.”

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