The Kano State Hisbah Board, also known as Sharia Police, has stated that Shatu Garko’s participation in the 44th Miss Nigeria pageant was illegal.
The 18-year-old pageant, Garko, became the first hijabi to win the Miss Nigeria pageant since its inception in 1957.
Garko was crowned the 44th Miss Nigeria after beating 17 other finalists at an event on Friday, December 17, 2022, in Lagos.
She was also the youngest pageant this year and she carted away the sum of N10m, a one-year residency at a luxury apartment, a brand new car, and brand ambassadorship opportunities.
According to the Hisbah Board, Garko is a muslim from the Garko Local government and it’s illegal to participate in such practice.
They went further to state that the lady’s parents will be summoned.
The Hisbah boss, Sheik Ibn Sina, in an interview with BBC News Pidgin said, “We (Hisbah) have confirmed that Shatu Garko is a muslim from Kano State and her parents come from Garko Local government area. Kano is a sharia state and this is why we would not allow the matter to pass.
“We will invite the parents to talk to them about the actions of their daughter and the fact that what she did is illegal in Islam in case they don’t know so that she would not continue in that path and also stop other girls from copying her.”
