Kano Govt, Bans TV Station From Airing Drama Showing Lady Being Held By Men

In a letter signed by the Executive Secretary of Kano State Censorship Board, Isma’ll Muhammad Na’Abba Afakallah, and written to the management of the TV station on April 7, the state government said such obscene film violated the norms, values, culture and religion of the people of Kano.

The Kano State Government has banned Arewa 24 Television from airing a series – Kwana Casa’In – showing a lady being held by men inside a tricycle.

In a letter signed by the Executive Secretary of Kano State Censorship Board, Isma’ll Muhammad Na’Abba Afakallah, and written to the management of the TV station on April 7, the state government said such obscene film violated the norms, values, culture and religion of the people of Kano.

The government also placed a ban on the airing of another series – Gidan Badamasi – which it claimed was uncensored and unlicensed.

The letter reads, “We are drawing your attention to a recent episode of Kwana Casa’In in a tricycle and store showing a lady being held by men which is against our norms, values, religion and culture.

“It is also in our record that another TV series being shown by your station called ‘Gidan Badamasi’, is an uncensored and unlicensed film which is an offence contrary to the Kano State Censorship Board Law (2001).

“It is against this background that we are giving your TV station 48 hours from the receipt of this letter to stop showing Kwana Casa’In and Gidan Badamasi for not complying with the laws mandating all films shown in Kano State to pass through censoring and licensing by the Kano State Censorship Board and failure to comply with the above notice will attract legal sanctions.”

The agency went on to say that it shall not approve a film or video work with indecent and obscene portions likely to be injurious to morality and against public interest.

Kano, like most states in Northern Nigeria, is an extremely conservative society where Islamic values including Sharia Law towers above everything else.

The state also has Hisbah Corps – a religious police responsible for enforcing Sharia in the city.