Kano Suspends Law Prohibiting Opposite Genders From Using Same ‘Keke’
The Kano State Government has suspended the implementation of a directive banning persons of opposite genders from plying same commercial tricycles (also called Keke NAPEP in many states) across the state from January 2020.
The spokesperson of the agency responsible for implementing the law, Kano Hisbah Board, Lawan Fagge, disclosed this to pressmen on Tuesday.
The policy, has attracted mostly negative reactions from Nigerians since it was announced days ago.
According to reports, Mr. Fagge said the decision was taken on Monday after consultation with the leadership of commercial tricycle operators “who pleaded for an extension of the implementation date.”
“The law has been suspended till further notice. The decision was taken after consultation with leadership of commercial tricycle operators who pleaded for extending the implementation date,” Mr Fagge said.
The claim that the leadership of the tricylce operators made a plea for extension could not be immediately verified.
On Wednesday, the Commander General of Hisbah Board, Harun Ibn-Sina, had announced the banning of men and women from plying same commercial tricycles from January 2020. He made the announcement at the closing ceremony of 77th annual Islamic Vacation Course (IVC) organised by Zone A of Muslim Society of Nigeria (MSSN) which held at Bayero University, Kano.
News media reported how Mr Ibn-Sina threatened that any tricyclists found conveying opposite sexes in the same tricycle would be punished with ten lashes or banned for six months.
He further stated that the defaulters had an option of a N5,000 fine or risk punishment depending on the ‘gravity’ of the offence committed.
He, however, said the law is not applicable to couples, underage children and family members.
Commercial tricycles, popularly known as ‘A daidaita sahu’ in Kano, were introduced by a former governor of Kano, Ibrahim Shekarau, as a means of transportation for women only.
This was after Mr Shekarau’s government banned commercial motorcyclists from conveying women.
Since Mr Shekarau’s exit as governor, however, tricycles had been allowed to convey people of both sexes.
Source: Premium Times
