The Plateau State chapter of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has denied that any Muslim organisation is operating under the umbrella of Hisbah in Jos North Local Government Area of the state.

This follows a statement issued by the state government alleging the commencement of activities by the group, a development that has generated controversy within and outside the state.

Speaking to Daily Trust on Tuesday, the Secretary of JNI in Plateau State, Dr Salim Musa Umar, said no Islamic organisation in the state had announced plans to establish Hisbah in Jos North.

He said the controversy originated from social media platform where some individuals allegedly used artificial intelligence-generated images to create the impression that a Hisbah organisation had been established in the LG.

“I want to assure the people that no Islamic organisation in Plateau has come out to say it wants to establish Hisbah. There is nothing like that. It has never been discussed and it is not part of what is being considered,” Umar said.

“The matter started on social media when some people appeared in uniforms created with the help of artificial intelligence, claiming that they had established Hisbah in Jos North. The information gained reaction and people began sharing it widely.

According to him, an organisation such as Hisbah cannot be legally established without enabling legislation passed by the State House of Assembly.

“Hisbah cannot be established without a law from the State House of Assembly, and the government has not done that. Therefore, people cannot simply come out and claim that they have established Hisbah,” he said.

He urged the Plateau State Government to conduct thorough investigations whenever issues involving religion emerged particularly when such issues have the potential to generate tension among communities.

The JNI Secretary also appealed to social media users to refrain from creating or circulating content capable of causing misunderstanding and disrupting peaceful coexistence in the state.

Our correspondent reports that the controversy over the alleged establishment of Hisbah in Jos North has continued to generate debate among residents, both on social media platforms and community members.

(Daily Trust)