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Governor Mutfwang Bans Hisbah Activities in Plateau, Orders Arrests
Governor Caleb Mutfwang has declared the activities of any group operating under the name or guise of Hisbah illegal in Plateau State and ordered security agencies to move against those involved.
The governor’s directive followed reports of the emergence of a group in parts of Jos North Local Government Area, where members were allegedly carrying out activities in the name of Hisbah.
Mutfwang said the group had no legal authority to enforce rules or exercise powers over residents in the state.
He also directed security agencies to investigate the group, identify its members and arrest anyone found to have violated the law.
The governor’s position was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere.
According to the statement, the administration took the decision after receiving reports of alleged intimidation, harassment, extortion and the imposition of rules on residents by persons operating under the Hisbah name.
Mutfwang warned those involved to stop immediately or face prosecution under Nigerian law.
The governor made it clear that Plateau State would not allow any organisation to create a parallel authority or act as a substitute for government agencies.
“Government will not permit the emergence of any parallel authority, self-appointed enforcement body or group seeking to impose rules, restrictions or sanctions on citizens.
“No individual or group has the authority to appoint itself the government of Plateau,” he said.
He stressed that law enforcement remained the responsibility of government institutions established under the Constitution and other applicable laws.
The governor therefore instructed the security agencies to step up intelligence gathering in the affected areas.
They are expected to establish the identity of those behind the reported activities and determine the extent of their operations.
Mutfwang also ordered that anyone found to be promoting, funding, assisting or supporting the alleged unlawful activities should be investigated.
Where evidence of wrongdoing is established, such persons are to be arrested and prosecuted.
The governor’s directive comes amid concerns over the activities of informal groups seeking to enforce religious or social rules outside the recognised security and legal structures.
Hisbah organisations operate in a number of northern states, including Kano, Katsina and Sokoto, although their legal frameworks and areas of operation differ from one state to another.
Mutfwang, however, maintained that the situation in Plateau was different because the group in question had not been authorised by the state government to perform any enforcement function.
He said no organisation could simply assume powers that had not been granted to it by law.
The governor further directed security agencies to ensure that residents in Jos North and other affected areas were protected from threats, harassment and unlawful demands.
He said residents must be allowed to go about their normal activities without interference from individuals claiming authority they do not possess.
Mutfwang also moved to prevent the issue from being interpreted as a religious confrontation.
He said the decision was based on the need to maintain law and order and was not aimed at any particular religion, ethnic group or community.
“Plateau remains home to people of diverse faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds. Every Plateau resident is entitled to equal protection under the law,” he said.
The governor said the government was concerned about conduct and lawful authority rather than the religious identity of the people involved.
He maintained that every resident had the right to worship freely, work, operate a legitimate business and live without intimidation.
“The issue before the Government is solely one of lawful conduct and legitimate authority. Every resident of Plateau State has the right to live, worship, work, conduct lawful business and go about their daily activities without intimidation or interference from any self-appointed authority,” he said.
Mutfwang also thanked residents who alerted government authorities to the reported activities.
He said the government would continue to treat credible security reports seriously and respond where necessary to protect residents.
The governor reiterated that the protection of lives, rights and lawful freedoms remained one of the primary responsibilities of his administration.
He also linked the latest directive to the need to preserve peaceful coexistence in Plateau, a state with a population made up of people from different religious and ethnic backgrounds.
The governor said the government would continue to uphold the rule of law and ensure that residents were treated equally.
In another development, the Plateau State Government had in May declared that the state was “at war with terrorists and enemies of the state” following a series of deadly attacks and announced tougher security measures across the state.
The federal government has announced plans to invest an additional $3 billion in Nigeria’s health sector by 2030 as part of efforts to reduce dependence on foreign assistance and strengthen domestic health financing.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, said this on Monday in Abuja at a media conference announcing the fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR, scheduled for 6 -8 December, 2026.
Mr Pate said the conference, the first to be hosted on African soil, would focus on translating global commitments into practical actions with the theme, “One Health: Advancing Global AMR Commitment through Local Action”.
He was responding to questions on the health Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria and the United States.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria and the United States signed a five-year bilateral health MoU on 19 December 2025, under the US America First Global Health Strategy.
Mr Pate said the planned investment was part of a transition arrangement under which both countries would work towards Nigeria fully financing its health sector by 2030.
“From now until 2030, the expectation is that the federal government will put in $3 billion into health, which is more than what the US government will contribute as it ramps down its contribution,” he said.
He said the arrangement reflected Nigeria’s position that long-term dependence on external assistance was not in the country’s national interest.
“Our position is that dependency in the long run is not in our national interest on external support,” he said.
“We articulated that we want Nigeria to exit from dependency from other entities over time.”
Health financing
Mr Pate acknowledged that achieving self-sustaining health financing would require increased domestic investment, noting that Nigeria was not yet in a position to fully fund its health sector.
He said 15 Nigerian government institutions, including the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance, and Health and Social Welfare, participated in articulating Nigeria’s position during negotiations with the United States.
According to him, the US had supported health programmes in Nigeria for about 25 years, including interventions for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, benefiting millions of Nigerians.
However, following a shift in US government policy in 2025, Nigeria decided to assume greater responsibility for financing its health programmes.
“How do we own it responsibly? So, with the US government, we agreed that we will have a transition. By 2030, they exit and we exit. That means we fully fund our health sector,” he said.
Mr Pate said President Bola Tinubu had increased domestic health allocations, including providing six per cent of the government budget for health, as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s contribution.
He emphasised that sustainable financing would require all three tiers of government to increase spending on citizens’ health.
Mr Pate said the transition was intended to strengthen Nigeria’s ownership of health programmes and reduce reliance on funding decisions made by other countries.
“We cannot rely on somebody else’s taxpayers funding for the health of Nigerians,” he said.
On concerns surrounding the MoU, Mr Pate described it as a non-binding framework for cooperation, anchored on Nigeria’s national policies and laws.
“The MoU that was signed with the US government is a non-binding MoU. It is anchored on Nigerian policy, national policies and laws, does not subvert our sovereignty or subvert US government sovereignty over their resources.
“It’s also one that either party can walk away at any time,” he said.
Mr Pate said the Attorney-General of the Federation had also confirmed that the agreement contained nothing that subverted Nigeria’s national interest.
He added that the MoU was publicly available and interested parties could request a copy from the ministry through the Freedom of Information process.
READ ALSO: Nigeria is building a sustainable health financing future, By Muhammad Ali Pate
The minister said the agreement aligned with the government’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, which prioritises improved governance, stronger primary healthcare, expanded health insurance coverage, domestic production and increased health security.
He said the cooperation would support public health and laboratory capacity, including the detection of antimicrobial resistance, while promoting local capacity to produce essential health commodities.
Mr Pate said strengthening domestic production and ensuring local markets could supply essential medicines, including antimicrobials, were important steps towards reducing external dependence.
He said the transition would require sustained efforts and domestic investment to ensure Nigeria could finance its health priorities as external contributions declined.
Mr Pate urged Nigerians to examine the agreement and its provisions, saying the government’s objective was to strengthen national ownership of health financing and service delivery.
(NAN)
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The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has expressed displeasure over a fresh kidnapping incident in the state.
The party questioned Governor Seyi Makinde over the recent abduction of three staff members of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN).
DAILY POST gathered that the three staff members were kidnapped last Friday within the premises of the institute.
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Wasiu Sadare, the APC questioned the governor over the abduction.
Sadare said the governor should tell the people of the state what his administration was doing to rescue the victims.
He also urged Makinde to explain the measures being taken to prevent a recurrence.
Sadare said, “Also, the public wanted to know the circumstances surrounding the fresh abduction of the three staff of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) and efforts being put in place to rescue them, as well as ensuring that surging insecurity is permanently addressed in the state.”
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