The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has strongly condemned gender-based violence (GBV), calling it a grave offence that must attract harsher penalties in Kano State.
Speaking during a meeting with representatives from the Development Research and Project Centre (dRPC) and the Centre for Islamic Civilisation and Interfaith Dialogue (CICID) of Bayero University, Sanusi emphasised that there was no religious justification for the abuse of women.
The meeting, backed by the Ford Foundation, aimed to explore ways of tackling rising GBV incidents across the state.
“Beating your wife or daughter is not only a social wrong; it is a religious offence,” Sanusi stated. “It is haram. It is prohibited in Islam. Those who claim to beat their wives in the name of religion do not understand Islam at all.”
He warned that any district head under his emirate who is found guilty of abusing women would face consequences, including removal of their traditional titles.
The Emir also hinted at ongoing plans to reform the state’s family law, addressing critical areas such as marital rights, domestic abuse, and parental responsibilities. He said such legal reforms would better equip the state to address issues arising from family breakdowns.
Sanusi, an Islamic scholar and former Central Bank Governor, revealed that his doctoral research had uncovered alarming levels of GBV within Kano’s legal system.
“My PhD focused on Islamic family law in practice. Over five years, I analysed data from nine Kano Shari’a courts and found that GBV cases were not only present but rampant,” he said.
In his remarks, CICID Director, Dr Taofeek Hussain, sought the Emir’s support in advocating for the implementation of family law reforms. He also appealed for permission to train traditional titleholders in GBV awareness and prevention strategies.
“CICID has trained judges and clerics on how to handle GBV-related cases within Shari’a courts,” Dr Hussain said. “We now want to extend that training to community leaders to amplify the impact.”
