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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Sharia police block women's rally | Sharia police block women's rally |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| Islamic authorities in the northern Nigerian city of Kano have told organisers of a planned protest by divorced women to cancel the event. | Islamic authorities in the northern Nigerian city of Kano have told organisers of a planned protest by divorced women to cancel the event. |
| The head of the Sharia police, or Hisbah, said the planned protest was an "embarrassment", and is "un-Islamic". | The head of the Sharia police, or Hisbah, said the planned protest was an "embarrassment", and is "un-Islamic". |
| The organisers have agreed to postpone their protest scheduled for 29 January. | The organisers have agreed to postpone their protest scheduled for 29 January. |
| Women's rights activists say divorced women are often thrown out of their homes, lose custody of their children, and many end up destitute. | Women's rights activists say divorced women are often thrown out of their homes, lose custody of their children, and many end up destitute. |
| The Director General of the Hisbah, Saidu Dukawa, said there were also security concerns over the protest. | The Director General of the Hisbah, Saidu Dukawa, said there were also security concerns over the protest. |
| "We fear what could happen in the streets if there is a large gathering of people, it could get out of control," he told the BBC's Hausa Service. | "We fear what could happen in the streets if there is a large gathering of people, it could get out of control," he told the BBC's Hausa Service. |
| Large gatherings of people can be volatile in Nigeria, which has been rocked by violence between Muslims and Christians over the last 10 years. | Large gatherings of people can be volatile in Nigeria, which has been rocked by violence between Muslims and Christians over the last 10 years. |
| Quarrelling spouses | Quarrelling spouses |
| He also said the idea of street protests was "un-Islamic" and "morally wrong". | |
| "Never in the history of Islam have women taken to the street to press for their demands," he said. | "Never in the history of Islam have women taken to the street to press for their demands," he said. |
| The Hisbah were reported by local media to have said they feared the demonstration would "ridicule Kano in the eyes of the world". | The Hisbah were reported by local media to have said they feared the demonstration would "ridicule Kano in the eyes of the world". |
| Kano is one of 12 northern Muslim-majority states governed by Sharia law. | Kano is one of 12 northern Muslim-majority states governed by Sharia law. |
| The Hisbah are in charge of policing the morals of Muslims to make sure they are "Sharia-compliant". | The Hisbah are in charge of policing the morals of Muslims to make sure they are "Sharia-compliant". |
| They do not have the authority to ban the protest from going ahead, but told organisers they would report the demonstration to the police if they continued with it. | They do not have the authority to ban the protest from going ahead, but told organisers they would report the demonstration to the police if they continued with it. |
| One of their duties is to reconcile quarrelling spouses and prevent divorce. | One of their duties is to reconcile quarrelling spouses and prevent divorce. |
| But divorce in polygamous northern Nigeria is very common. | But divorce in polygamous northern Nigeria is very common. |
| The Association of Divorcees Widows and Orphans has could not immediately be reached for a comment. | The Association of Divorcees Widows and Orphans has could not immediately be reached for a comment. |