Religious authorities in Yobe State have imposed a ban on men and women sitting together at public events or in transportation, citing Islamic teachings, in a directive that also targets reckless driving during celebrations, the local Hisbah commission announced.
The Yobe State Hisbah Commission, often dubbed the moral police, outlined the prohibitions in a notice dated January 6, 2026, signed by coordinator Muhammad Yahudi and issued under the chairmanship of Dr Yahuza Hassan Abubakar.
The edict bars the “intermingling of males and females in public transportation and gatherings” and forbids “isolated discussions between males and females conducted in a manner that contradicts the teachings of Islam.”
It further prohibits “reckless driving and overspeeding with vehicles and tricycles during Sallah and wedding celebrations.”
“All residents and visitors are urged to observe these directives strictly in order to maintain peace, safety, and uphold the Islamic values of our society,” the notice stated.
The measures apply across the predominantly Muslim state, a region grappling with security challenges from Islamist insurgents, though officials framed them as efforts to preserve cultural norms.
