In a directive that has stirred conversation across Bauchi State, the Hisbah Commission has issued a prohibition on the presence of DJs and women at male-dominated social gatherings, citing concerns over morality and mixed-gender interaction. The commission has further forbidden the mingling of boys and girls at such events, and explicitly disallowed any dancing between opposite sexes in the presence of infants and young children
The newly unveiled mandates form part of a broader set of 16 pre-wedding and social gathering guidelines crafted by the Hisbah to address a noted surge in divorce and marital instability within the state
. Grounded in sections 95, 362, and 373 of the Bauchi State Sharia Penal Code, these rules are intended to reinstate a perceived spiritual foundation—or baraka—to marital unions, which the commission argues is being eroded by increasingly liberal social practices
The overarching objective, as articulated by the commission, is to restore societal decorum and safeguard the sanctity of family life through regulated social interaction. Enforcement will be active in recreational centres, clubs, and event venues across the state
In a parallel initiative recognizing the socioeconomic implications of marital breakdown, Bauchi State has also embarked on empowerment efforts. Over 500 women—including individuals with histories of commercial sex work—have been enrolled in entrepreneurship training to equip them with sustainable livelihood skills rather than relying on mass wedding interventions
Public response to these sweeping moral directives remains mixed. As Bauchi’s Hisbah moves to impose these new social norms, the unfolding dialogue reflects broader conversations across the region about tradition, modernity, and the nature of moral regulation in public life.
