The Hisbah Command in Katagum Zone has arrested seven persons over an alleged wife-swapping practice in Azare Local Government Area.
The suspects were alleged to belong to a group identified as “Wuddadu”, accused of arranging the exchange of married women among members for sexual relationships.
The Zonal Commander of Hisbah in Katagum, Ridwan Muhammad Khairan, disclosed the arrests in a viral Hausa-language interview on Wednesday.
Khairan said the operation followed complaints from residents and reports from individuals linked to the group.
According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that some married couples allegedly agreed to exchange their wives with other members of the group.
He described the practice as adultery and said it violated Islamic teachings and the cultural values of the community.
“This is clearly zina,” he said, using the Islamic term for adultery.
Khairan said Hisbah officials engaged the suspects after confirming the allegations and warned them against continuing the practice.
He added that the command had also sensitised nearby communities on the issue and urged residents to report similar cases.
According to the commander, the alleged acts do not meet the conditions for lawful marriage in Islam, including the involvement of guardians, witnesses, dowry and formal marriage agreements.
He warned that stricter measures would be taken if the practice persists.
“This is not the path of Islam,” he said.
Khairan also called on community leaders and affiliated groups to distance themselves from individuals involved in the alleged activities.
He said seven suspects, including four women, were currently in custody, while two other male suspects were still being tracked by authorities.
