THE Jigawa State Hisbah Board has conducted a week-long basic training exercise for 2,360 Hisbah guards at the General Gowon NYSC Orientation Camp in Dutse, as part of efforts to boost the morale and effectiveness of its workforce.
News Point Nigeria reports that the trained operatives, drawn from the 27 local government areas of the state and the Hisbah headquarters in Dutse, comprised 2,040 male and 320 female guards, News Point Nigeria reports.
Declaring the training exercise closed, Governor Malam Umar A Namadi congratulated the personnel for successfully completing the programme without any reported case of misconduct throughout the exercise.
The Governor said his administration would continue to strengthen security, promote peace and reinforce moral values in society in order to maintain Jigawa State’s position as a role model of peace.
Represented by his Deputy, Engineer Aminu Usman, Governor Namadi explained that, because of the importance his administration attaches to Hisbah, the government had made the organisation an independent board with full financial autonomy.
He urged the newly trained personnel to deploy the knowledge acquired during the exercise in serving the community with wisdom, honesty, patience, compassion and respect for humanity.
“Do not allow personal feelings, political differences or anger to override your duty. Build the community with counselling, dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes rather than a confrontational approach,” the Governor advised the trained guards.
Malam Umar Namadi also urged Hisbah, as a builder and mentor of a decent society, to fully cooperate with relevant security agencies in making Jigawa State free from crimes and other immoral acts.
He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to continued investment in security, describing it as the backbone of development and progress in any organised community.
The Governor commended the management of the Hisbah Board and the training instructors for organising and coordinating what he described as a well-structured basic training exercise, which was the first of its kind in the history of Jigawa State.
In his speech, the Chairman of the Jigawa Hisbah Reorganisation Steering Committee and Secretary to the State Government, Malam Bala Ibrahim, said the committee had worked tirelessly to reorganise and reposition Hisbah activities in the state.
He said the committee recommended that Hisbah be made an independent board, a recommendation that was subsequently approved by Governor Umar Namadi.
Also speaking at the occasion, an Islamic scholar and Chief Imam of Dutse Central Mosque, Professor Abubakar Sani, spoke on the history of Hisbah in Islam.
He explained that the duties of Hisbah should be carried out politely, with counselling of persons engaged in immoral acts preferred to confrontation, except where otherwise necessary, while stressing that, above all, Hisbah personnel must fear God in the discharge of their responsibilities.
In his vote of thanks, the Jigawa Hisbah Commandant General, Dr Fa’iz Bashir Haroun, expressed appreciation to Governor Umar Namadi for making Jigawa Hisbah a role model among its contemporaries by transforming it into a board with budgetary and financial independence.
He also thanked the chairman and members of the steering committee, stakeholders, training facilitators and all those who contributed to the success of the training exercise.
The Deputy Governor later received and inspected a parade mounted by a detachment of the newly trained Hisbah guards.
A drama depicting the practical operations of Hisbah guards was also presented during the occasion.
Awards of excellence were presented to Governor Umar Namadi, the Chairman of the Hisbah Reorganisation Steering Committee, Malam Bala Ibrahim, and the best-performing trainee, Aliyu Surajo from Maigatari Local Government Area.