Breaking: Ramadan crescent sighted at Hotat Sudair Observatory in Saudi Arabia. Monday is the first day of Ramadan.

The Kano State Hisbah police has said its men will from Monday arrest any adult caught eating in public during the holy month of Ramadan.

The Commander-General of Kano Hisbah, Nabahani Usman, stated this on Saturday in Kano as Muslims the world over starts the Ramadan fast on Monday.

According to Usman, arrested persons would only be released upon provision of an exemption letter from a medical doctor or a proof of chronic ulcer.

The Hisbah boss, who stated this while speaking to the the British Broadcasting Corporation, said that upon provision of evidence by any arrested person, he or she would be released with a warning not to eat in public anymore.
Usman also disclosed that several sex workers and other criminals were arrested in preparation for the holy month, adding that Ramadan was a special month for Muslims and anybody that practised Islam must fast.

He said: “We do this kind of operation yearly and we will continue it this year. The aim is to get every Muslim to respect the month of Ramadan. Even if a doctor says you should not fast, that does not mean you should eat in public while others are fasting.

“So any Muslim that we apprehend eating outside, our men will arrest and bring the person to our office unless he can show proof that a doctor asked him not to fast.”