Nigerians held for talking in public

The sexes are frequently segregated under Sharia

By Barnaby Phillips in Nigeria

Hundreds of people in the northern Nigerian city of Kano have been arrested after they were seen talking in public to members of the opposite sex.

The detainees have been taken to police stations over the past few days and questioned about whether they are involved in adultery or prostitution.

Religious zeal: Tempered by corruption?

Both would be in contravention of Sharia, or Islamic law, which was introduced in Kano state last month.

Those picked up are mostly women, and are a mixture of Christians and Muslims.

Some of the women are prostitutes, but journalists who have visited the police cells say many of the detainees had simply been seen talking to members of the opposite sex on the streets.

Religious zeal

If found guilty of prostitution or adultery they will be fined or flogged.

Sharia was introduced in Kano in November, but since then the authorities have come under criticism from Islamic preachers for failing to take practical steps towards actually implementing it.

Now it seems the authorities have taken firm action.

But religious zeal in Nigeria is invariably tempered by corruption.

Journalists in Kano say that the police are happy to release suspected prostitutes and adulterers upon payment of a small bribe.