Governor of Sokoto. Photo Source: FB/Sokoto Government House
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Claim: A Facebook user claims that a superintendent of police is serving as an aide-de-camp (ADC) to a Hisbah chief and that Nigeria has become an “Islamic country.”
Verdict: Misleading. The image cited does not show a Hisbah chief with a police ADC. It shows the Sokoto State Governor with his official ADC during an event related to Hisbah.
Full Text
A viral Facebook post on May 2, 2026, has stirred controversy by claiming that Nigeria is “now effectively a full Islamic country”, alleging that state institutions are being overtaken by religious authorities.
The post further claimed that the Nigerian Police Force now takes “direct orders” from Hisbah, described as a “non-constitutional religious body”, and questioned why a Superintendent of Police would serve as aide-de-camp to a Hisbah official.
The claim was accompanied by a photograph showing a uniformed police officer standing beside a senior figure dressed in uniform attire, which the poster alleged was a Hisbah chief being attended to by a police ADC.
The claim had garnered 322 reactions, 464 comments, and 40 shares within two hours of the post.
The post generated mixed reactions on social media.
One user, Rawlings O. Michael, commented: “Pure institutional abuse.”
Adegboye Kaysuccess Adekunle wrote, “You’ll cry tired… Anyways, Hisbah is constitutional. Made possible by state legislation.”
“I think you should understand the issue better before speaking. It’s not good to focus on one side only. Please be respectful when talking about others,” Rabiu Tuji Goma, another user, cautioned the user who posted the picture.
Given the sensitivity of religion and governance in Nigeria, DUBAWA investigated the claim’s authenticity.
Verification
Hisbah is a form of moral enforcement body operating in some northern Nigerian states, primarily to support the implementation of Sharia-related regulations within those states.
While Hisbah operates within certain states under local legal frameworks, it is not part of the federal security architecture and does not command the Nigerian Police Force.
The Nigeria Police Force remains under the authority of the federal government and operates based on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
ADCs are typically drawn from the Nigeria Police Force or other security agencies and are responsible for the personal security and protocol of government officials such as governors.
DUBAWA analysed the image circulating with the claim using Google Reverse Image and traced its context.
Findings show that the individual in the photograph is Ahmad Aliyu, Governor of Sokoto State, not a Hisbah commander.
The image was taken during an official event linked to the inauguration of Hisbah activities in Sokoto State, where the governor was present in his official capacity.
According to the Director General, Media and Publicity, Government House, Sokoto, the activity took place on Nov. 21, 2024.
The Sokoto State Police Command, through its Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Rufa’i, dismissed the claim as false and misleading, stressing that no police officer was assigned to escort any Hisbah official
“The police officer seen beside him is his official aide-de-camp (ADC), a standard security attachment assigned to high-ranking public officials across Nigeria,” he added.
There is no evidence that the police officer was assigned to a Hisbah chief or that he was taking orders from any religious authority.
Conclusion
The claim that a Hisbah chief is being served by a police ADC and that Nigeria is now effectively an Islamic country is misleading.
